Daryaganj violence: Court dismisses bail plea of 15 accused, sends them to judicial custody

Delhi's Tis Hazari court on Monday dismissed the bail petition of 15 accused, who were arrested after a protest in Daryaganj area against the newly-amended citizenship law turned violent last week and sent them to judicial custody for 14-days.

The court observed that police personnel suffered injuries during the violence and said that the incident created panic in society. The investigation is at the initial state, the court stated, adding that no ground for bail is made out at the present stage.

After the dismissal of bail, lawyers representing the accused said that they will now approach the Sessions court to avail it.

During the course of hearing today, senior counsel Rebecca John, appearing for the accused, told the court that her clients were falsely implicated in the case.

She submitted that they belong to the poor strata of society. "The accused went to Jama Masjid to offer prayers on Friday. When they were returning from offering prayers at Jama Masjid on Friday, they were picked by the police illegally and falsely implicated in the case."

The counsel said that Section 120 B (common intention) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) cannot be invoked as the accused person do not know each other.

Delhi Police's Investigation Officer told the court that if bail is granted to the accused, they may affect the law and order and influence the witnesses.

Additional Public Prosecutor (APP) also opposed the bail application filed by the accused and said that video footages have surfaced and they are being analyzed minutely.

He said that the accused hatched a criminal conspiracy and in pursuance of that pelted stones, broke barricades and assaulted officials.

The court had, on Saturday, remanded the accused to two-day judicial custody. They were produced before the court today at the end of their remand period.

The police had also detained 40 persons for allegedly pelting stones at the police personnel during the protest.

Protests have erupted across the country against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019, which grants Indian citizenship to Hindu, Christian, Sikh, Buddhist and Parsi refugees from Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Bangladesh, who entered India on or before December 31, 2014.