Red Fort vandalism: Police secures custody of protester; to probe source of funding

New Delhi, July 1

A Delhi court has remanded a 26-year-old protester to five-day police custody for interrogation in connection with his alleged involvement in the Red Fort violence and vandalism case during the farmers' protest rally on Republic Day this year.

Accused Boota Singh, who allegedly played an active role in the farmers' agitation, was arrested from Punjab's Tarn Taran region on Wednesday. He had a reward of Rs 50,000 on his head and was absconding for over five months.

Delhi Police told Metropolitan Magistrate Shivli Talwar that the accused would be taken to Tarn Taran, about 500 km from Delhi, for investigation during the remand period.

The police said it would also ascertain the source of funding of the alleged conspiracy, money flow to his bank accounts, probe social media accounts, recover mobile, and seize clothes he was wearing at the time of the incident.

Besides, it said it would confront him with video clips and CCTV footage in order to identify co-accused who accompanied him from Singhu Border to the Red Fort to create mayhem and ransack the monument.

“Considering the ground and fact that the accused has to be taken to Tarn Taran for investigation, the accused be remanded to PC for five days,” the judge said in an order passed on June 30.

Investigating officer Inspector Pankaj Arora informed the court that Singh was part of the riotous mob which “attacked the police personnel, ransacked, sabotaged and robbed the government and public property and also the Red Fort”.

He stated that in one of the videos, the accused was seen with co-accused - Gurjot Singh and Gurjant Singh - in which the duo was giving interview to the media after they hoisted a religious flag at the Flag Guard area.

“During further investigation, it has also come on record that he, along with his other associate, was in touch with co-accused Iqbal Singh who is stated to be one of the main conspirators and instigators,” Inspector Arora submitted.

Advocates Jasdeep S Dhillon and Gurumukh Singh, representing the accused, said that their client is being falsely implicated in the case and that there are no specific allegations against him.

It was further submitted that the mere presence of Singh in the interview given to a media channel by the co-accused “does not reflect his complicity in the offence”.

On January 26, protesting farmers had clashed with police during the tractor rally against three farm laws and stormed into the Red Fort, hoisting religious flags on its domes and injuring scores of policemen.

An FIR was registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, Arms Act, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Ancient Monuments and Archaeological Sites and Remains Act, Epidemic Act, and Disaster Management Act.

Actor-activist Deep Sidhu is accused of being the key conspirator of the violence and is currently out on bail.

The court had recently taken cognizance of the charge sheet in the case and summoned all the accused on July 12. PTI

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