Actor-activist Deep Sidhu was again arrested on Saturday on the basis of an FIR filed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI) n connection with Republic Day violence in which protesting farmers desecrated Red Fort and hoist religious flags atop the historical monument.
The arrest comes soon after Deep got bail in another case, registered by the crime branch of the Delhi Police, pertaining to the same Red Fort violence. As the Red Fort is maintained by the ASI, it filed a separate complaint against Deep Sidhu detailing how the mob broke open the walls, caused damage and ransacked the fort complex office.
The Punjabi actor was arrested on February 9 on charges of inciting protesters. Since then, the accused was in custody with 14 days of remand in police custody. Noting that the accused won’t be able to interfere with the evidence, as these are mostly video recordings posted on social media, special judge Neelofer Abida Perveen granted him bail on Friday on a personal bond of ₹30,000 and two sureties of a like amount.
“The accused as per the own case of the prosecution is a well-known public figure with deep roots in society and such apprehensions are capable of being allayed by imposing stricter conditions,” the court said refuting the prosecution’s contention that if Deep Sidhu is granted bail, he might abscond.
Farmers who have been protesting against three agricultural laws since November last year took out a tractor rally on January 26. The rally, which was supposed to be peaceful, turned violent when a group of protesters deviated from the pre-decided route and entered the capital. After a face-off with the police at Delhi’s ITO, the protesters moved towards Red Fort, breached it and hoisted the religious flag on it. In their way, they clashed with police, broke security cameras and wreaked havoc following which the Red Fort was closed till January 31.
Deep Sidhu’s lawyer has been denying any link with the rampage and said Deep Sidhu was not present there when the violence took place.
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