Bhim Army chief sent to 14-day judicial custody; claims 'no single evidence against me'

Claiming that there is "no single evidence" against him for inciting violence during the anti-CAA protests, Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad on Saturday hit out at Prime Minister Narendra Modi saying that latter is busy in election rallies at a time when the whole country is burning.

"Modi should do table talks at least. He is doing the task of dividing the country. There is no single evidence against me. The country is burning and Modi is only concerned about his rallies," Chandrashekhar told media after Tis Hazari court sent him on 14-day judicial custody after dismissing his bail plea.

Delhi Court on Saturday dismissed bail plea Azad and sent to 14-day judicial custody. Azad was taken to Tihar jail from Tis Hazari court.

He was earlier denied permission for a protest march from Jama Masjid to Jantar Mantar.

In an unusual move, Metropolitan Magistrate Arjinder Kaur, hold proceedings in-camera and remanded Azad to judicial custody.

"Substantial grounds for granting bail to the accused are not made out," the court said.

Accordingly, the bail application of the accused stands dismissed and he is being sent to judicial custody for 14 days and thereafter be produced before the concerned court for further orders, it added.

Meanwhile, Azad's lawyer Mehmood Pracha said, "His client has been sent on 14-day judicial remand. Strangely, some media professionals were denied entry to the court today. This government wants to curb the freedom of the press. The judge ordered for in-camera proceeding. However, there is no provision in the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) to do in-camera proceedings,"

He claimed that he was not given a chance to present his views on the matter.

"This order has no provision and it is illegal as there is no evidence in support of the FIR registered by the Police," he said adding that "Azad is the dearest son of Baba Saheb and leaders like him shouldn't be sent to jail."

Delhi Police had said that Bhim Army chief instigated a mob of around 4,000 people outside the Jama Masjid during the Friday prayer.

A case has been registered against Azad under Sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public), 120B (criminal conspiracy) and other relevant sections of the IPC.

Protests have erupted across the country against the Act, 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.