Hours after bail, Deep Sidhu arrested again
New Delhi: Hours after being granted bail in a case related to the Republic Day violence, Punjabi Actor-turned-social activist Deep Sidhu was arrested yet again on Saturday in another case related to the destruction of the Archaeological Society of India (ASI) preserved-property inside Red Fort premises on January 26 during the farmers' tractor rally, by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police.
Sidhu was arrested in connection with an FIR lodged at the Kotwali Police Station, which alleges that a group of protestors, atop motorcycles and tractors, barged their way into the Red Fort and damaged ticket counter complex, door frame metal detectors and the baggage scanners while damaging the entire ticketing counter complex.
The FIR also alleges that some of the protestors broke the electrical fittings of the illumination lights and the stone casing around them.
Apart from damage to other property inside the Red Fort premises, the FIR also alleged that a section of the mob charged towards the rampart and forcefully hoisted a flag on the pole where the Prime Minister hoists the national flag on Independence Day.
The FIR invokes Sections 25/27 of Arms Act, 3/4 of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984, Section 2 of Prevention of Insults to National Honours Act, 1971 and 30A/30B of The Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, 1958 (Amendment and Validation) Act 2010.
Earlier in the day, Additional Sessions Judge Neelofer Abida Perveen granted bail to Sidhu subject to his furnishing personal bond of with two local sureties in the sum of Rs. 30,000 each to the satisfaction of the Court. The court in the bail order observed that, "the prosecution seeks to make an example out of the case of the accused-applicant, he being a popular figure, such an endeavour, however, hazards a failure of justice as a result of compromised objectivity".
In his defence, Sidhu, represented by advocate Abhishek Gupta, argued that he never instigated the crowd of protestors at the Red Fort and was only trying to pacify them. He also submitted that the mob started committing violence much before he reached the Red Fort at around 2 pm on Republic Day.
Meanwhile, the prosecution alleged that Sidhu had an intention of committing violence and instigated the crowd and he also gave various media interviews calling for violence and mobilisation of protestors at the Red Fort. They also alleged that he disrespected the
national flag and instigated another person to hoist the Nishan Sahib flag.
Sidhu's counsel, advocate Gupta, told Millennium Post: "It is an affront to personal liberty...I'm going to argue this case strongly in court tomorrow…"
The police remand hearing in the case is expected to be conducted tomorrow at the Tis Hazari Court.
