Actor Deep Sidhu, accused in Republic Day violence case, granted bail

New Delhi: The Tis Hazari court of Delhi on Saturday granted bail to Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu, an accused in the 26 January Red Fort violence case. Deep Sidhu is accused of inciting the mob. Delhi Police arrested Sidhu on 9 February from Karnal, Haryana. The FIR registered in connection with the violence on the Red Fort in Delhi on Republic Day includes the names of Deep Sidhu and others. They are all accused of committing violence.

According to Delhi Police, on January 26, some people hoisted a religious flag following the violence at the Red Fort. Some of them have been identified, of which Deep Sidhu is the main accused.

During the debate on the bail petition in the past, the defense said that his client was not involved in mobilizing the crowd. There is no evidence to prove that Sidhu has called upon the people to gather there. While arguing the bail plea on behalf of Deep Sidhu in the Tis Hazari court, lawyer Abhishek Gupta had said that the protest was organized by the farmer leaders. His client is not a member of any farmers union. The accusations of gathering and instigating the mob on him are false. Sidhu was not involved in any violent action.

The defense counsel said that Sidhu had left before the violence erupted. Not only this, he also supported the police to control the violent mob. Being there does not mean that he too became part of the crowd gathered illegally. Advocate Abhishek, citing the evidence of the Delhi Police itself, said that two videos have been produced by the police as evidence, in which Deep Sidhu is seen to calm the crowd.

The lawyer also said that if the judge wishes, he can show this video by running it in the court. It was also argued that Sidhu is not only a Punjabi actor but he is also a lawyer. He is made a sacrificial goat due to his familiar face. The defense also said that the case is being conducted on a media trial. Sidhu's mistake is that he was in the wrong place at the wrong time, but this mistake does not mean that he became a criminal. The defense said that the police FIR stated that the Red Fort gate was broken at 12:30 pm and the mob climbed on it, while Sidhu had reached Delhi only after 2 pm.

More than 500 policemen were injured in the violence

Significantly, on January 26, thousands of protesters broke into the farmers block and entered the national capital and clashed with their police personnel at other places including the ITO. Many protesters came to the Red Fort, driving a tractor and entered the historic monument and put a religious flag on its ramparts. More than 500 policemen were injured in the violence, while a protestor was killed.

Delhi Police has registered FIRs against 37 farmer leaders including Rakesh Tikait, Yogendra Yadav, Rajinder Singh, Medha Patkar, Buta Singh, Darshan Pal and Balbir Singh Rajewal in connection with this violence. Delhi Police has so far arrested 152 people in connection with the violence on Republic Day. The police have registered a case under Section 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and made Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu and gangster-turned-social activist Lakkha Sidhana the main accused.

It is known that farmers have been sitting on dharna since 26 November 2020 on many borders of Delhi. The farmers demand that three farmer-related laws be withdrawn. Deep Siddu is accused of wrongly supporting farmers and instigating protesters near Lal's Fort on 26 January. Many people were injured in this violence near the Red Fort. In this case, many farmer leaders have also been charged by the police. A lot of people are still being questioned. Many policemen were seriously injured in this incident.