The Patiala House Court in Delhi on Monday sent the 17 accused, including 11 women, who were held for allegedly using 'pepper spray' during protests over air pollution at the India Gate, to three-day judicial custody. The court has also sent five other accused to two-day judicial custody. Judicial Magistrate Aridaman Singh Cheema also sent a person to observation home till his age is verified.
"We have obtained judicial custody of two days in one case and three days in another. We saw the situation ourselves. The protestors were injured; the girls’ clothes were torn, and those who were protesting were in very bad condition," advocate Vertika Mani, counsel for the protestors, told news agency ANI.
"Even lawyers were not allowed to meet them, which is absolutely wrong. You are not disclosing the grounds of arrest, nor are you clarifying whether they were detained or formally arrested," she added.
The 22 accused were arrested after they allegedly used pepper spray and raised slogans in support of Maoist leader Madvi Hidma during their protests on Sunday, forcing the police to intervene. "We tried to explain to them that emergency vehicles were stuck and needed clear access, but they refused to move. The situation then turned into a scuffle, and some protesters used chilli powder on our personnel, which is unusual and rare," an officer told news agency PTI.
Hidma (51), one of the most wanted CPI (Maoist) commanders, was killed along with five others in an encounter in Andhra Pradesh's Alluri Sitaramaraju district on November 18.
The police said a first information report (FIR) has now be registered against the accused under relevant sections of BNS including 74 (assault or criminal force to a woman with intent to outrage her modesty), 115(2) (voluntarily causing hurt), 221 (obstructing public servants in discharge of duties) and 223 (disobedience to a lawful order from a public servant).
The activists, on the other hand, said they were protesting against the current development model, which has led to environmental degradation and caused pollution in the city-state. They also slammed the government for responding with "suppression" whenever activists raise concerns over such issues.
