R-Day Violence: Delhi court grants interim protection from arrest to Lakha Sidhana till 19 July

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday granted interim protection from arrest to gangster-turned -activist Lakha Sidhana in a case related to an alleged attack on police personnel during the tractor rally on the Republic Day this year by farmers protesting against the new agri laws. Additional Sessions Judge Shivaji Anand granted him protection from any coercive action till 19 July and directed him to join the investigation. Three days ago the court had granted him interim protection from arrest till 3 July in another case related to the Republic Day violence. Delhi Police had earlier announced a reward of Rs 1 lakh for providing information about Sidhana. Fearing arrest, he moved Delhi’s Rohini court seeking anticipatory bail in the two cases. Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee’s (DSGMC) legal team is pursuing the matter. Senior advocate Ramesh Gupta Senior appeared for Sidhana along with advocates Rakesh Chahar, Jaspreet Rai, VPS Sandhu, Jasdeep S Dhillon, APS Mander, Prateek Kohli, and Sankalp Kohli. On 26 January this year, protesters from the Singhu border reached GT Karnal Road, where they destroyed the police barricades, rioted with swords, and ran their tractors over the police officials with an intention to kill, according to the FIR. Police tried to intervene and stop them. Water cannon was used to disperse the protestors, tear gas shells were fired. The mob started throwing back tear gas shells towards the police, it stated, adding that various policemen and one DTC driver suffered injuries. As per the FIR registered on the complaint of Inspector Anil Kumar, the protesters, with their preplanned objective, deviated from the rally routes agreed upon by the farm unions and caused violence.