Deep Sidhu, 15 others charged for R-Day violence at Red Fort
New Delhi: The Delhi Police have now filed a 3,000-page chargesheet against Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu and 15 others in connection with the violence at Red Fort here on Republic Day when the farmers' anti-agri laws protest parade ran aground and large-scale violence was seen on the Capital's streets.
Highly placed sources have confirmed that no sedition charges were added against the accused.
Police said on January 26, during the Republic Day 2021 celebration, farmers during their protest and tractor rally against the newly enacted and enforced Farmer Act, protestors reached the Red Fort.
At the heritage site, they allegedly indulged in rioting activities causing irreparable loss to this world heritage site apart from assaulting the policemen guarding the site and performing law and order duty, thereby causing serious injuries and casualties. "The subject case is under investigation with the Special Investigation Unit – I, Crime Branch," police said.
The chargesheet was filed in the Tis Hazari court complex here on May 17 in the Court of the Duty MM. Of the 16 accused named in the chargesheet, 13 have already been granted bail, including Deep Sidhu, Iqbal Singh, and Mohinder Singh Khalsa.
Maninder Singh, Khempreet Singh and Jabarjang Singh are in judicial custody and remain incarcerated.
Police said they identified Iqbal Singh as one of the persons who did a Facebook Live from the Red Fort during the violence on Republic Day.
Khempreet Singh was seen carrying a spear in his hand and Maninder Singh alias Moni, a 30-year-old AC mechanic, was seen swinging two big swords at the heritage site. One of the accused, Mohinder Singh Khalsa was purportedly the chairman of Jammu and Kashmir United Kisan Front and after the arrest, police claimed him as active participants" and "key conspirators" in the violence at the Red Fort.
"The chargesheet contains 3,224 pages. The next date of hearing in the matter is May 28 in the Court of CMM (Central), Tis Hazari Courts," the official said.
Significantly, when asked whether Jugraj Singh, the man accused of hoisting a Nishan Sahib flag from the ramparts of the Red Fort, had been charged in the case, sources aware of developments in the investigation replied in the affirmative and said the police had named him as an absconding accused. In fact, gangster-turned-social activist Lakha Sidhana has also been named in the chargesheet but the police have refused to disclose his exact role at the moment.
While the police had arrested Sidhu after a considerable chase, they are yet to arrest Sidhana. He has since made several public appearances at farmer protest sites across North India but the police have not been able to arrest him.
Moreover, the Delhi Police have attached letters signed by the farmer leaders of the various unions who had agreed to stick to the designated routes but had purportedly failed to do so.
After the violence a case was registered under sections 147/148/149/152/186/269/279/353/332/207/308/395/397/427/188/120B/34, 25/27/54/59 sections of Arms Act, section 3 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, section 30 of the Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act.
