Freelance journalist Mandeep Punia, who was arrested on Saturday during farmers' protest coverage at Singhu border, has been granted bail today (Tuesday, February 2).
The Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, North District, Rohini Courts (Delhi), Satvir Singh Lamba granted him bail on furnishing bail bond in a sum of Rs 25,000/- along with one sound surety in the like amount, reported Live Law.
"Bail is a rule and jail is an exception," noted the Court and said that since the complainant, victims and witnesses are police personnel only, hence, there is no possibility that accused/applicant would be able to influence them.
Police had accused Punia of obstructing them in the discharge of their duties and beating police personnel. “Punia was standing with the protesters and he didn’t have a press ID card. He was trying to move through the barricades which were kept to segregate and secure the area. An altercation broke out between police personnel and him. He misbehaved… there was some manhandling as well. He was then detained,” a senior police officer told Indian Express.
A purported video of the incident shows a group of policemen with lathis forcibly taking Punia away. He was detained on Saturday, January 30. On Sunday, he was presented before Court number 2 (Tihar Jail) by Delhi Police and the Metropolitan Magistrate Akhil Malik had sent him to 14-day judicial custody.
Punia had been charged under Sections 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) r/w Section 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
