Soon after his arrest on Thursday, Delhi BJP MLA O.P.
Soon after his arrest on Thursday, Delhi BJP MLA O.P. Sharma, who was seen assaulting CPI leader Ameeque Jamei outside the Patiala House court on February 15, was released on bail by the Delhi police.
Mr Sharma was called to the Tilak Marg police station, where he was questioned in connection with violent attacks at the Patiala House courts complex. He was questioned for several hours and finally arrested by the police. A case was registered against him under Sections 323(Punishment for voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint) and 160 (affray) of the IPC.
“He was released on bail as all the offences are bailable,” a senior police official said. The first-time MLA was questioned for around eight hours.
The Delhi police had come under severe criticism for not taking action against the legislator despite having clear video footage showing him beating the CPI activist. The police on Wednesday served summons on Mr Sharma following which he presented himself before the investigators on Thursday.
“He was arrested under charges of causing hurt and later granted bail,” said the official. After coming out of the police station, Mr Sharma told reporters, “If someone has to pay such a price for stopping a person who raised pro-Pakistan slogans, then I have got nothing to say.”
The police had also issued summons to three lawyers in connection with assaults on journalists and JNU students and teachers on Monday. The lawyers are yet to depose before police.
Meanwhile, a city lawyers’ body on Thursday virtually came in defence of the attackers in black robes in the Patiala House courts, including Vikram Singh Chauhan who allegedly was garlanded in Karkardooma courts, to whose bar he belongs.
Claiming that certain “outsiders” in lawyers’ robes indulged in violence, the coordination committee of all District Court Bar Associations demanded a “fair” inquiry into the incidents.
Condemning the violence, advocate R.K. Wadhwa, chairman of the committee, said in a press release they would request the Chief Justice of the Delhi high court to ensure that entry to the court premises should be monitored and security of judicial officers, lawyers and litigants be given “prime importance.”
“We condemn the manner in which protesters/demonstrators were allowed to enter the Patiala House court complex. We condemn violence in any form which was the direct consequence of unverified entry of outsiders inside the court premises,” he said.
In Karkardooma courts, lawyers held a candlelight march for national integrity and against “victimisation” of lawyers. Mr Chauhan, who has been bragging on social media about how the lawyers had taught “anti-nationals” a lesson in Patiala House complex, was garlanded.
However, advocate Mahesh Sharma, president of Shahdara Bar Association, rejected media reports in this regard. “Advocates are being shown in bad light. They are termed as goons and criminals. It is wrong,” he said.
The coordination committee also said they would stage a protest march at India gate on Friday against the alleged anti-national activities in the JNU.
