Shivangi Prakash-
Lakha Sidhana, the “gangster turned activist” wanted by the Delhi Police in connection with his suspected role in the Republic Day violence case, was granted interim protection from arrest until July 20 by a Delhi Court on Saturday.
Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau granted the interim protection after hearing Advocate Dhillon appearing for Sidhana, the Public Prosecutor and IO Pankaj.
During today’s hearing, the judge questioned the IO and the PP about why Sidhana needed to be held in custody given the conspiracy angle had already been explored by the Delhi Police.
Denying the grant of custodial interrogation, Adv. Dhillon submitted before the Court thus:
“He is 40, married and having a son. This is very unfortunate for such a senior officer to make such comments. He hasn’t been named anywhere. We moved his bail application because on April 8 his cousin was arrested by Special Cell and beaten. He then addressed a rally but somehow he wasn’t arrest. We hen filed an anticipatory bail. It was their own case that he never entered Red Fort. 1 lakh reward was on his head in another FIR in which we got interim protection from arrest.”
Objecting to this, Public Prosecutor submitted that:
“FIRs relate to murder, robbery etc. He was a gangster later turned into an activist. I just saw a video sent by the IO saying that we have to defy the rules of the authorities and that we have to reach Red Fort. The co accused have all been arrested.”
Furthermore, he argued:
“People who did violence on the Red Fort, he is not seen amongst them. He was behind.”
Hearing the above-mentioned submissions, the Court ordered:
“I can give him a short interim protection and ask him to join investigation. There is no purpose of giving interrogation when there is nothing.”
The development occurred after the Court granted Sidhana interim protection from arrest until July 3 as it dealt with Sidhana’s anticipatory bail motion in FIR 96 of 2021.