A Delhi court today granted interim protection from arrest to gangster-turned-activist Lakha Sidhana in connection with his alleged involvement in the violence which ensued at the Red Fort in Delhi on Republic Day.
On January 26, farmers protesting against the three new farm laws had clashed with the police during their tractor rally, stormed into the Red Fort, hoisted religious flags on its domes and injured many cops.
Fearing arrest, Sidhana moved Delhi's Tis Hazari court seeking anticipatory bail in the case, with his counsel asserting that he had no role to play in the incident.
Additional Sessions Judge Neelofer Abida Perveen posted the matter for hearing on July 3 and directed the police to not arrest him until then. This came after the police sought more time to make submissions on his pre-arrest bail plea.
Sidhana had earlier denied involvement in the Republic Day violence.
Several cases had been registered against him in Punjab and he has been jailed many times. He had also unsuccessfully contested the 2012 state assembly polls.
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