Republic Day violence case: Delhi court grants bail to Lakha Sidhana

New Delhi [India], July 29 (ANI): A Delhi court on Thursday granted anticipatory bail to alleged gangster-turned-activist Lakha Sidhana in connection with the Republic Day violence case.

Tis Hazari's Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau granted bail to Sidhana observing that he has joined the probe.

Earlier, interim protection from arrest was granted to Sidhana from time to time.

The court had earlier directed Sidhana to join the investigation.

On June 26, Sidhana was granted interim protection from arrest till July 3, which was later extended till July 20 and then it was extended further.

Delhi Police has opposed his anticipatory bail and said that the accused was a gangster, who later turned activist.

Advocates Jaspreet Singh Rai, Jasdeep S Dhillon, Vir Sandhu, Ajitpal Singh Mander, Nitin Kumar, Kapil Madan and Gurmukh Singh represented Lakha Sidhana in the court.

Jaspreet Rai said that Lakha Sidhana has no role in the Red Fort incident and even it is admitted by the police that Lakha never entered Red Fort on January 26, 2021.

Jaspreet Rai said that Lakha Sidhana is a farmer and activist.

Delhi Police said that he was a gangster and wants to join politics and he is nowhere related to farming. The police also apprised the court that he is involved in around 20 cases.

The court noted that accused Lakha Sidhana has already joined the investigations before the Investigating Officer on July 21 and July 25 and also produced his mobile phone, which was being used by him on 26th January for recording videos and further uploading

the same on his Facebook page.

"According to the IO, the gallery of the said mobile phone was checked but no such video was found stored and even the Facebook account of the applicant/ accused was also closed w.e.f. 26.01.2021. The IO is unable to respond why the custodial interrogation of the applicant/accused is further required in investigations," the court said.

Sidhana is a permanent resident of Village Sidhana, Tehsil Phul, District Bhatinda, Punjab falling within the jurisdiction of Police Station Phul in Bhatinda.

The Court granted him bail on furnishing of a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one local surety of the like amount. It also directed him to appear before the local police station Phul in Bhatinda district in Punjab on the last Saturday of every month till filing of the chargesheet and the same shall be communicated regularly to the Investigating Officer (IO).

The court also directed him to share his mobile phone number with the IO at the time of presenting the surety bonds which shall be verified by the IO.

The court also asked him to inform about his location to Investigating Officer over the mobile phone on the first and 15th day of every month till the filing of the charge-sheet.

During the course of arguments, a specific query was put by the court as to what was the specific role attributed to the accused Lakhbir Singh alias Lakha Sidhana in the Red Fort incident dated January 26, 2021, to which the Investigating Officer had submitted that there is no direct evidence to confirm the presence of the applicant/accused inside the Red Fort and the CDRs available on record shows his presence outside the periphery of Red Fort.

"To my mind, most of these offences are bailable," Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau

The Court also noted that most of the accused arrested in the case were already granted bail. It also noted that the report of the Investigating Officer, that Sidhana was allegedly involved in 20 other cases in Punjab but he has already been acquitted in most of the cases.

Earlier, a Delhi Court had last month taken cognizance of chargesheet in connection with a case relating to violence at Red Fort on Republic Day against Deep Sidhu and others and issued summoned against them.

On Republic Day, protestors did not follow the prearranged route and broke barricades to enter Delhi, clashed with police, and vandalised property in several parts of the national capital during the farmers' tractor rally. They also entered the Red Fort and unfurled their flags from its ramparts.

Farmers have been protesting at the different borders of the national capital since November 26 against the three newly enacted farm laws: Farmers' Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation) Act, 2020; the Farmers Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Act 2020 and the Essential Commodities (Amendment) Act, 2020.

A total of 43 different cases were registered with the Crime Branch, special cell and local police and over 150 persons were arrested in connection with various cases relating to Republic Day violence. (ANI)