The Delhi Police has filed a 3,000-page charge sheet against 16 people in the Republic Day violence case saying that the agreement between the police and the farmer leaders regarding the rally routes was broken by protesters who had a “pre-conceived and well-coordinated” plan, The Indian Express reported.
Among the 16 booked for the vandalism at Red Fort, are Iqbal Singh and Punjabi actor-activist Deep Sidhu, who did a Facebook Live session in which he allegedly instigated the protesters. Sidhu was arrested on 9 February from Karnal in Haryana by the Delhi Police Special Cell.
As per an FIR based on a complaint by SHO (Kotwali) Rituraj, an estimated 1,000 people on 30-40 tractors and around 150 motorcycles and cars had forcibly entered the Red Fort premises. In the violence that followed, policemen were assaulted, their anti-riot gear was looted, some were held hostage inside a toilet, and the ticket counter was vandalised.
A senior police officer was quoted as saying, “We filed around 3,000 pages of charge sheet before the Magistrate on 18 May at the Tis Hazari Court. We have arrested 16 persons and 13 of them are out on bail,” The Indian Express reported.
He added, “Accused identified as Jugraj Singh, who is alleged to have raised the Nishan Sahib at the Red Fort on Republic Day; Khempreet Singh, who was seen carrying a spear in his hand and allegedly assaulting the police personnel on duty; and Maninder Singh Moni, who was seen in a video swinging two swords at Red Fort, are still lodged in jail.”
According to the police, Khempreet disclosed that on 26 January, he, along with others, joined the protesters from Sanjay Gandhi Transport Nagar and reached the Red Fort after crossing the barricades at Burari and Chatta Rail.
The charge sheet states that after reaching Red Fort, the protesters indulged in “violent confrontation with security forces” and violated the sanctity of Red Fort.
(With inputs from The Indian Express)
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