Police plea for Sidhu's custody denied

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Monday rejected the Delhi Police's plea for a 4-day police remand of Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu in connection with a case related to the damaging of Red Fort premises during the farmers' tractor rally on Republic Day and sent him to 14 days of judicial custody.

Sidhu was arrested by the Crime Branch of Delhi Police in the present FIR a day after he was granted bail by a Delhi court on Friday in a case where he has been alleged of instigating and mobilising protestors at the Red Fort on January 26 and reportedly disrespecting the national flag.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gajendra Singh Nagar turned down the police's plea seeking 4 days of police custody for Sidhu and sent him to a 14-day judicial custody and the matter will be taken up next on May 4. His bail application in the case is scheduled to be heard on April 23.

During the hearing, Sidhu's counsel, advocate Abhishek Gupta argued before the court that arresting the accused in the present case was a "malafide exercise" and that the Delhi Police was "playing a fraud" on the criminal justice system. "Any single day of his incarceration is violative of his fundamental rights…," the counsel argued.

Pointing to the FIR in the case, advocate Gupta told the court: "All the allegations are the same...pertaining to the Red Fort damage and vandalism...this is malafide, the arrest itself is illegal, they are playing fraud on the criminal procedure...they are negating the bail order…" the counsel said, adding that the arrest is an "affront to his (Sidhu's) personal liberty" and that there is "no question of a police remand".

"The entire evidence is only this. Why do they need my custody for this now? They can ask their brother investigating officer for the said evidence...the order was communicated to us on Saturday and then they rearrested me again…," the counsel told the court.

Referring to the Delhi Police, the lawyer further submitted, "We are a country governed by the rule of law...they (police) are acting like emperors...there should be a departmental action against the police officers…"

Sidhu, present during the hearing from Tihar Jail, said, "I was at the same office of the Crime Branch and was investigated by the team during the police custody in a previous case. I will cooperate fully. They know the entire story...my mobile locations, telephone records, CCTV footage are with them," he said.