Anti-EC protest | 'They have entire career lying ahead': Delhi court grants bail to 17 protesters arrested

Granting bail to 17 people arrested by the Delhi Police during a protest in the Capital against Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) Gyanesh Kumar on Monday, a Delhi court late in the night sought a report from the DCP (New Delhi) on allegations that two of those arrested were beaten up at the Parliament Street police station.

In four separate orders, Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Animesh Kumar of the Patiala House Court granted bail to the 17 accused. "The accused persons are of very young age and do not appear to be habitual offenders. They have their entire career lying ahead," JMFC Kumar said.

The police had submitted before the court that the protesters were part of an unlawful assembly and had blocked the public space when Section 163 of BNSS was in place, prohibiting public gatherings of five or more people, demonstrations and other activities without prior written permission.

After two protesters told the court that they sustained injuries as they were beaten inside the Parliament Street police station after they were detained, JMFC Kumar sought that CCTV camera footage from inside the police station be preserved.

"Since accused Dharmender and Samarth have levelled allegations regarding custodial torture, let report be called from DCP New Delhi regarding the same. The relevant CCTV footage of PS Parliament Street be also preserved," he said.

The Delhi Police submitted that when the accused were being detained to manage the law and order situation, they manhandled and assaulted police officers, during which one woman officer sustained injuries.

Seeking 14 days of judicial custody, the police told the court that the protesters broke the glass of a bus in which they were being detained. They alleged that the protesters did not cooperate during the course of the investigation and failed to disclose their complete personal details.

JMFC Kumar said, "It should be noted that allegations against the accused are serious in nature. One police official has allegedly sustained injuries as per the MLC produced by the IO. While any person has right to protest peacefully, however, assaulting police officials on duty is serious concern which cannot be permitted under the garb of peaceful protest."

"However, it cannot be ignored that all the offences involved in the present case except offence punishable under Section 132 of BNS are bailable in nature. Even the offence punishable under Section 132 of BNS (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) provides for maximum imprisonment of 2 years only," he added.