Farmers Movement Archive

R-Day violence: Protection from arrest to Lakha Sidhana

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Thursday granted protection from arrest to gangster-turned-activist Lakha Sidhana in a case related to the violence on Republic Day during farmers’ rally, saying prima facie no case was made out against him. Additional sessions judge Dr Kamini Lau said the IO had submitted that there was no direct evidence to confirm Sidhana’s presence inside Red Fort and the call detail records available on record showed his presence outside its periphery. “I have asked the investigating officer if the presence of the accused outside Red Fort was a very grave offence and non-bailable. The investigating agency is not sure of the same... There is no prima facie material to show that the applicant/accused was present inside Red Fort and if that be so, even no prima facie case is made out against him,” the judge said in the order. Additional public prosecutor Rajat Kalra had opposed the anticipatory bail plea claiming Sidhana had a long criminal history and was involved in several cases. Police had further alleged that he was one of the key conspirators of the violence and a prominent leader at the Singhu border during the farmers’ protests. Sidhana’s lawyers, Jaspreet Rai and Jasdeep Dhillon, told the court that there was no evidence to show that he indulged in any violence.

The Times of India

2021-07-30

Delhi