Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad Gets Bail But Can Not Hold Dharna In Delhi Till Elections
Azad's outfit had called for a protest march from Jama Masjid to Jantar Mantar against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on December 20, without police permission. Other 15 people arrested in the case were granted bail by the court on January 9.
A Delhi court has granted bail to Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad who has been accused of inciting people during an anti-CAA protest at Jama Masjid on December 20.
Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau granted the relief to Azad and put certain conditions on him.
After series of observations & lessons in fundamental right to protest & definition of lawful assembly outside places of religious worship, judge Kamini Lau grants bail to Bhim Army Chief Chandrashekhar Azad. It¡¯s women who are emerging as real custodians of Constitution.
¡ª Marya Shakil (@maryashakil) January 15, 2020
Azad's outfit had called for a protest march from Jama Masjid to Jantar Mantar against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on December 20, without police permission. Other 15 people arrested in the case were granted bail by the court on January 9.
The Court restrained Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad from visiting Delhi for 4 weeks and to not hold any dharna till elections.
He had claimed that police invoked "boilerplate" charges (verbose) against him and arrested him "mechanically" without following the due process of law.
Delhi Court restrains Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad from visiting Delhi for 4 weeks and to not hold any dharna till elections
¡ª Press Trust of India (@PTI_News) January 15, 2020
To this, the court had earlier slammed Delhi Police for failing to show any evidence against him and observed that people are out on the streets because things which should have been said inside Parliament were not said.
Delhi Police was behaving as if Jama Masjid was in Pakistan, Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau said, adding that even if it was, one can protest there peacefully.
Pakistan was once part of undivided India, she said.
"You are behaving as if Jama Masjid was in Pakistan and even if it was in Pakistan, you can go there and protest. Pakistan was a part of undivided India," the judge had said.
Release Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad Unconditionally.#FreeAzad pic.twitter.com/YU9E7pk6H7
¡ª ZiYa ur Rehman.? (@Ziya0003) January 11, 2020
The court asked the investigating officer of the police to put on record all the evidence which showed that Azad was allegedly giving incriminatory speeches at the gathering at Jama Masjid and any law which showed that the gathering there was unconstitutional.
It has put up the matter for further hearing on Wednesday. The court further observed that Azad, having a law degree, can also protest inside the courts. It noted that Azad's Ambedkarite philosophy probably required more research.
"Azad is probably an Ambedkarite. Ambedkar was more closer to the Muslims, Sikhs and basically the repressed class of the society... He was a rebel of his own kind. Probably Azad has a vague idea of what he wants to say but probably not able to put it across. If you take up an issue, you do your research. And that is missing, " the court had said.
