Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad arrested for violence
NEW DELHI/ LUCKNOW: A Delhi court on Saturday sent Bhim Army chief Chandrasekhar Azad sent to 14-days judicial custody over violence in Daryaganj area in Delhi. Protesters clashed with the police in Daryaganj on Friday during which private property was damaged.
The police has sent another 15 people to judicial custody over the incident. Their pleas will be heard on Monday. However, lawyers and human rights activists said that the actual number of people arrested is higher Aazad, who was arrested earlier in the day, sought bail from the court on the ground that there is no evidence that he instigated the Jama Masjid crowd to go to Delhi Gate where the protesters had turned violent.
The police opposed his bail plea on the ground that he may threaten witnesses and his judicial remand is necessary for the sake of law and order. The court dismissed his bail plea and sent him to 14 days’ judicial custody.
Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, who was playing hide and seek with Delhi Police at Jama Masjid, was detained hours after the security personnel tried to take him into custody during the outfit’s march against the amended citizenship law.
According to a Bhim Army functionary, their protest started after the Friday prayers around 1pm and Azad was present in the march. However, when police tried to detain him, supporters took him away and he was given shelter by a family.
Speaking to the media after he emerged again, the Bhim Army chief said the protests would continue till the government does not withdraw the “black law”. “Police have been attacking since morning…we have not attacked them. I have evidence to prove that RSS has planned this attack against us. ” he said.
He added that he was ready to be arrested but the police has to answer what are they trying to arrest him for. “I have not broken any law…the police have unlawfully detained our workers,” he said.
A Bhim Army functionary said that after giving cops the slip, he came inside Jama Masjid around 4pm, and addressed supporters and also read the Preamble of the Constitution. “Even the Shahi Imam of Jama Masjid addressed everyone and told them, ‘Aazad is our guest’,” the functionary said. Azad urged his supporters to carry on the protest peacefully.
“Those indulging in violence are from RSS and not from our outfit. I am at Jama Masjid and will stay here. Those who commit violence want to weaken our movement,” Azad tweeted in Hindi.
