India Gate Protest: Court Sends 5 Accused To Judicial Custody, One To Safe House

Delhi’s Patiala House Court has remanded five accused for two day judicial custody in connection with an anti-pollution protest that turned violent. One accused has been sent to a safe house until his age is verified, as he claimed to be a minor. His bail application has also been filed.

A total of 23 people were arrested for allegedly blocking a road, obstructing police and using pepper spray at Delhi Police personnel during a protest at the India Gate on Sunday.

Police on Monday said that they have registered FIRs in two police stations for staging a protest at the C Hexagon on India Gate, and allegedly using chilli spray/pepper spray on police personnel. At Kartavya Path Police Station, six male protesters were arrested under BNS sections 74, 79, 115(2), 132, 221, 223, and 61(2). The second FIR was registered at the Sansad Marg Police Station, in which other protesters have been arrested.They have been booked under BNS sections 223A, 132, 221, 121A, 126(2), and 3(5).

All six accused arrested from Kartavya Path (India Gate) were produced before the Patiala House Court on Monday. Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Arindam Singh Cheema viewed the video of the protest and asked the police to file a copy of it.

While seeking the two-day remand of the six accused, the Delhi police submitted that the accused protested at India Gate and violated the order issued by the public servant. They also used criminal force to obstruct the public servant.

It was also submitted that they also raised slogans in favour of notorious Maoist Madvi Hidma, who was recently killed in an ambush with security forces in Andhra Pradesh. They also used pepper spray and raised slogans of Lal Salam, police said.

They are required to be interrogated to unearth the conspiracy and to inquire about their links with the Maoist organisation, if any, Delhi police said.

After hearing the application, the court has reserved the order.

Counsel for the two accused submitted that they suffered injuries due to custodial torture. The counsel said they were carrying out a peaceful protest and were not engaged in any anti-national or Naxalite activities.

Counsel for another accused claimed that he is a practising lawyer and was “beaten by the police.”

During the hearing, the court also physically examined the injury marks allegedly inflicted by the police.

Counsel for the accused also submitted that the CCTV footage should be preserved. “Our allegation is that there is custodial torture. It should be preserved, ” the counsel submitted.

“There are photos showing an injury. The police did a lathi charge. One accused, Akshay, was pinned down,” the counsel claimed.

“What they need to unearth in custodial interrogation. They are students and have been in custody. They fully cooperated with the investigation. The police officials who allegedly assaulted the accused persons should be booked in a case of custodial torture. A complaint was also given to the police,” the counsel of another accused, Sameer, submitted. (ANI)