Actor-activist Deep Sidhu, arrested in connection with the Republic Day violence at the Red Fort in New Delhi, has been sent to seven-day police custody by a Delhi court on Tuesday.
Metropolitan Magistrate Prigya Gupta sent Sidhu to police custody after the police alleged he was one of the main instigators of the violence at the Red Fort.
Earlier in the day, Delhi Police officials said they had arrested Sidhu in connection with the case of instigating the crowd at the Red Fort on Republic Day.
"Deep Sidhu played the main role in the violence that took place on January 26 on Red Fort and in various parts of Delhi. His pictures are present in the public domain, you all have seen them. There was an announcement of Rs 1 lakh reward on the accused Deep Sidhu. He has been arrested by the special cell team of Delhi Police," Delhi Police Public Relation Officer (PRO) Chinmoy Biswal told ANI.
Sidhu was absconding ever since the violence as the police searched for him in various places in Punjab and Haryana. Deputy Commissioner of Police (Special Cell) Sanjeev Kumar Yadav told PTI that he was arrested from Karnal Bypass at 10.40 pm on Monday.
For the uninitiated, thousands of protesting farmers who reached ITO from the Ghazipur border clashed with police during the Republic Day tractor rally. Many of them reached the Red Fort and entered the monument, where a religious flag was also hoisted. Over 500 police personnel were injured and one protestor died.
In the FIR registered in connection with the Red Fort violence, police said two magazines with 20 live cartridges were snatched from two constables by protestors who also damaged vehicles and robbed anti-riot gear.
(With input from agencies)
