India Gate protest case: Delhi court grants bail to one of the accused

A Delhi court on Wednesday granted bail to one of the protesters arrested in connection with an agitation against air pollution at the India Gate on November 23, where slogans were allegedly raised in support of slain Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, saying he was not required for further investigation.

Hearing the bail plea of Akshay E R, the court of District Judge Dharmendra Rana said, The applicant (Akshay) was arrested on November 23 and has been in continuous custody since then. It is submitted that the investigation is complete and thus no custodial detention of the applicant is required. 

The court noted that the co-accused in the case had been granted bail and that the accused had no past criminal antecedents.

 

Considering the nature of the allegations, the period of incarceration, past criminal antecedents and on the ground of parity, the applicant is admitted to bail subject to furnishing of personal bond of ₹50,000 with one surety of the like amount, the court said.

The protest took place at the India Gate on November 23, during which some agitators were accused of raising pro-Hidma slogans and using pepper spray on the police trying to contain them. 

According to police, 23 protesters were arrested in two separate cases lodged at the Parliament Street and Kartavya Path police stations.