CAA protest : The Tis Hazari Court grants bail to Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad

The Tis Hazari Court 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.

• Azad accused of inciting people during anti-CAA protest at Jama Masjid on December 20
• Delhi Police directed to escort Azad to his residence in Saharanpur
• Court directed Azad to not hold any dharna till the elections in Delhi.

The Tis Hazari Court has granted bail to Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad arrested during a recent rally against the Citizenship Amendment Bill (CAA) in old Delhi.

Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau granted the relief to Azad and put certain conditions on him. The judge granted the relief to Azad on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 25,000.

Azad has been accused of inciting people during an anti-CAA protest at Jama Masjid on December 20. The bail plea claimed there was no evidence against the allegations made against Azad in the FIR and his arrest was illegal.

Chandrashekhar Azad was granted bail on the condition that he does not reside/hold protests in Delhi for the next four weeks owing to the upcoming Delhi elections. The court has also said that Chandrashekhar Azad cannot visit the Shaheen Bagh protest site.

The Bhim Army chief will be released from prison tomorrow.

The court directed the Delhi Police to escort Azad to his residence in Saharanpur within 24 hours of his release. The court also said that before going to Saharanpur if Azad wants to go anywhere, including Jama Masjid, in Delhi till 24 hours, police will escort him there.

Special circumstances call for special conditions, the judge said.

The Delhi court added that Chandrashekhar Azad will have to appear before an SHO in Saharanpur, his hometown, every Saturday till a chargesheet is not filed in the matter.

In case Chandrashekhar has to visit AIIMS for his medical condition, he shall first inform DCP Crime who will provide him with an escort, the court added

During the verdict pronouncement, the lawyer appearing for Azad said the Bhim Army chief faces threat in Uttar Pradesh.

While announcing the verdict, the court also reprimanded Azad and said the Bhim Army chief should “respect institutions and the prime minister”.

On Tuesday, the court also pulled up the Delhi Police during Azad’s bail hearing, saying he has a constitutional right to protest and that the police was behaving as if Jama Masjid was Pakistan.

Azad was arrested by Delhi Police after protesting against the CAA at Delhi’s Jama Masjid on December 20. Azad’s outfit had called for a protest march from Jama Masjid to Jantar Mantar against the CAA without police permission.

Other 15 people arrested in the case were granted bail by the court on January 9