A Delhi Court at Tis Hazari today ordered Bhim Army Chief, Chandra Shekhar Azad be sent to 14 days judicial custody.

The remand was ordered in the case registered by the Delhi Police in connection with a protest march carried out against the Citizenship Amendment Act, 2019 yesterday from Jama Masjid to Delhi Gate.

As per the contents of the FIR filed by the police against Azad and 14 others, the protest was triggered by a speech rendered by Azad yesterday. It has been submitted that the protest was without permission and was in the nature of an unlawful assembly. Later in the evening, when the protestors began pelting stones at Police, water cannons were used to disperse the crowd, the police further claims. Among other things, the police also submitted, a car was set on fire by an unruly mob yesterday.

The other 14 other accused were remanded to two day judicial custody earlier in the hearing. A bail plea moved on behalf of Azad was taken up by the Court in-camera later, despite opposition by Azad’s counsel, Advocate M Pracha.

Following the in-camera hearing, Judge Arjinder Kaur has now ordered as follows,

“At this stage, this court is of the considered view that substantial grounds for granting bail to the accused are not made out. Accordingly, the application of accused for grant of bail stands dismissed and accused be sent to judicial custody for 14 days and thereafter be produced before the concerned court for further orders.”

Earlier, Judge Kaur had directed a lawyer to take all bail pleas preferred for the other accused to the CMM Court.

Azad was the only accused in the case that was not produced before the court today. Whereas Pracha queried after Azad’s whereabouts, the police officer present responded that he to is not aware of where Azad presently is, although he would be produced in due time before the court.

[Read Order]