Red Fort violence: Delhi Court grants accused Jugraj Singh interim protection from arrest

Delhi Court granted accused Jugraj Singh interim protection from arrest till the next date of hearing i.e. July 20 thereby asking him to join the investigation. Jugraj Singh was one who allegedly hoisted the religious flag at the ramparts of the Red Fort on January 26. The court order came on Jagraj Singh's anticipatory bail.

Special Judge Nilofar Abida Parveen in an order passed on Wednesday while giving protection said, "based upon the nature of accusations and the material available against the accused-applicant till date, the accused-applicant would be entitled to the protection."

"...the investigating agency has chosen to announce reward for his arrest does not in any manner affect the gravity of the nature of accusations per se", said Court order.

Court also noted that there are two FIR's founded upon a similar set of allegations, the complainants are different one is Delhi Police and the second is under the Archeological Survey of India for damage to the UNESCO Protected National Heritage Site.

Court also noted that the accused applicant under both the FIR's is alleged to have climbed one of the flagpoles on the ramparts at the Red Fort, a restricted area of the protected site, and to have hoisted Nishan Sahib, a religious flag of the Sikh community. However, it is not being alleged against the accused applicant that he had caused any injury to the policemen on duty or had assaulted the policemen on duty though he is seen resisting policemen from preventing him and other members of the unlawful assembly from entering the Well of the Red Fort.

The Delhi Police has recently filed a charge sheet in the Republic Day violence before the court. The charge sheet included statements of the several accused persons and also the evidence collected relating to the violence. According to the charge sheet, it named Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu, Iqbal Singh, Jugraj Singh, who allegedly raised Nishan Sahib at the Red Fort, Maninder Singh Moni, who was seen in a video swinging two swords at Fort and Khempreet Singh.

On January 26, the tractor parade by the protesting farmers that was to highlight the demand of the farmer unions for repealing the three new agriculture laws, had turned violent as the protesters deviated from the pre-designated routes, attacked police personnel, overturned vehicles and hoisted a religious flag on the ramparts of the iconic Red Fort.