Delhi Police questions Sidhana over Republic Day violence at Red Fort

A police officer, who asked not to be named, said Sidhana was questioned at the crime branch office for at least two hours in the afternoon. Police said he will be questioned again on Friday.

Delhi Police crime branch team probing the violence at the Red Fort during farmers tractor rally on Republic Day questioned Punjabi gangster-turned-activist Lakha Sidhana on Thursday.

This was the first time that police questioned Sidhana after the incident.

A police officer, who asked not to be named, said Sidhana was questioned at the crime branch office for at least two hours in the afternoon. Police said he will be questioned again on Friday.

“His lawyer contacted us and said he wanted to join the investigation. He came and we asked him some questions related to the investigation. He cannot be arrested because he has been granted interim protection for two weeks,” said the officer.

This was the first time that police questioned Sidhana after the incident.

A Delhi court had on Tuesday granted Sidhana protection from arrest until July 3 in connection with the Republic Day violence case. Sidhana was also granted interim protection from arrest till July 19 in another case of alleged violence during the tractor rally at Samaypur Badli.

Delhi Police has accused Sidhana of being one of the main conspirators who instigated people to indulge in violence after storming the Red Fort on January 21. Many other alleged co-conspirators, such as Punjabi actor Deep Sidhu and Iqbal Singh, were arrested and are out on bail. Delhi Police had earlier announced a reward of ₹1 lakh for information leading to his arrest.

Meanwhile, the crime branch on Wednesday arrested Buta Singh (25) who allegedly delivered inflammatory speeches, climbed the ramparts of the Red Fort and helped one of the accused persons, Jugraj Singh, hoist the religious and the farmers union flag during the Republic Day incident. Police said they were both friends and had reached Delhi together.

Jugraj, who carries a reward of ₹1 lakh, is yet to be arrested till date.

At least 394 police personnel and 10 farmers were injured during the tractor rally on Republic Day when protesting farmers deviated from the pre-approved route of the rally and clashed with police personnel when police stopped farmers from entering parts of Central and New Delhi. Many protesters also entered Red Fort and hoisted two flags -- a religious one and that of the farmers’ union at the ASI protected structure. While police have alleged that the violence on Republic Day was a well-planned conspiracy to defame the government, the farmer union leaders have rejected police’s allegations and said that some protesters, mainly youngsters, got carried away and went to the Red Fort.