R-Day violence: Court grants bail to 2 men accused of damaging Red Fort

A Delhi court on Monday granted bail to two men arrested in a case filed by the Archeological Survey of India (ASI) alleging their complicity in damaging of heritage Red Fort during the Republic Day violence this year.

Accused Boota Singh and Gurjot Singh were arrested on July 8.

The arrest was made on the day Boota was granted bail in another matter related to the violence. Gurjot was admitted on bail in the same matter a day after his arrest in the ASI case.

While granting relief, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Gajender Singh Nagar said that they have been made accused in both cases on the basis of the same act and no specific role is attributed to them.

The judge granted bail to them on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with one local surety of like amount. He also imposed various other conditions on them.

Boota and Gurjot have been directed to join the investigation as and when called, not threaten the witnesses or tamper with the evidence.

Advocate Jaspreet S Rai, representing the two accused, said argued that even though they were present at the Red Fort, no overt act was committed by them.

Meanwhile, Public Prosecutor Rajiv Kamboj asserted that if they are released on bail, they might run away from justice, destroy the evidence as they have done in the past by destroying their clothes and phones.

For Gurjot, the police said that he was seen in at least three photographs at the spot of hoisting of flag at the Red Fort with the riotous mob.

This case was registered on the complaint of Gunjan Shrivastava of the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI). On January 26, protesting farmers had clashed with police and stormed into the fort, hoisting religious flags on its domes.

Notably, actor-activist Deep Sidhu, who is accused of being the key conspirator of the violence, was also arrested in this case moments after being released from jail in another case related to the incident.