Raipur: Congress MLA Devendra Yadav, who spent seven months in prison for the Balodabazar violence case, was granted bail by the Supreme Court of India on February 20. After completing the necessary formalities, he was released from Raipur's central jail on Friday, coinciding with the second day of his birthday. He had been imprisoned for 188 days since August 17, 2024.
In addition to Yadav, 112 members of the Satnami sect, including Bhim Army state president Dinesh Chaturvedi, were also released. Chhattisgarh High Court granted the bail to these accused.
Meanwhile, upon his release, Yadav greeted his huge supporters in jail premises and expressed his desire to reunite with his family members in Bhilai. He thanked senior Congress leaders but refrained from making political comments. In addition, he mentioned that the rulers who sent him to jail with the intention that it would break his confidence, and that won't happen.
The violence on June 10, 2024, erupted when members of the Satnami community, who were peacefully protesting against the vandalism of the Jaitkham and pious den, turned into a frenzy mob that burned the Collector and SP offices in Balodabazar, causing extensive damage to the exchequer and private property.
Police accused Yadav of inciting the mob, along with Bhim Army members, alleging their involvement in the violence. However, Yadav's counsel argued in the Supreme Court that he was only present at a meeting that day and did not speak from the stage, asserting that he could not be held responsible for inciting the mob.
His lawyer also noted that Yadav's arrival and departure times did not coincide with the violent incident, and he was arrested at his home in Bhilai, several kilometers away from the crime scene.
Moreover, BJP criticized the act of MLA Yadav the way he was greeted by Congress supporters in a jubilant mood. The way Congress is celebrating the release of Balodabazar arson accused is itself his very shameful act and showed upto which extent Congress has been degraded in terms of values.
