Gurgaon: Another juvenile gets bail in Padmaavat protest case

Principal magistrate Davender Singh said, “No useful purpose would be served by keeping the juvenile behind the bars. Hence, the juvenile is released after a bail bond worth ₹40,000 is furnished and one surety of the same amount.” The juvenile is a class 10 student at a private school in Bhondsi, and was on his way home from school on January 24 when the protests broke out.

The juvenile justice board (JJB) on Tuesday granted bail to a 15-year-old juvenile, who was booked under multiple charges in the aftermath of violent protests that broke out to stop the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Padmaavat. Protesters pelted stones at a school bus and set a roadways bus ablaze in Bhondsi on January 24.

Violent protests broke out in Bhondsi area of Gurgaon to stop the release of Sanjay Leela Bhansali’s film Padmaavat. Protesters pelted stones at a school bus and set a roadways bus ablaze on January 24. (Sanjeev Verma/HT PHOTO)

The juvenile was booked along with seven others for attempt to murder, rioting, snatching, damaging government property and preventing government employees from discharging their duty. Of them, two were discharged last Friday.

Passing the order, principal magistrate Davender Singh said, “No useful purpose would be served by keeping the juvenile behind the bars. Hence, the juvenile is released after a bail bond worth ₹40,000 is furnished and one surety of the same amount.”

The juvenile is a class 10 student at a private school in Bhondsi, and was on his way home from school on January 24 when the protests broke out.

Juvenile’s lawyer Subhash Rathore said, “The Haryana roadways driver, in his complained, stated that his mobile phone was snatched, but the same was not recovered from my client.”

A social investigation report submitted by legal-cum-probation officer Nisha Saini including recorded statements of family members and neighbours of the juveniles, claiming that they are innocent and were not involved in any violent protest.

The JJB has transferred one “juvenile”, who was later identified as an adult, to the Bhondsi jail. It has also had sought action against some officers of the Bhondsi police for arresting a man in connection with the vandalism and violence on January 24 and producing him before the board as a “minor”.