The Bail Plea of Mandeep Punia has been rejected by the Delhi Court in the sunday afternoon, sending him to a judicial custody for 14 days under the Delhi Police.
Mandeep Punia’s FIR, filed in the morning, had explained his detention under Section 186, 353, 352 and 34 of the Indian Penal Code. The hearing of Mandeep Punia’s was scheduled at 2 PM, and he was brought to a Special Court at Tihar Complex No.2. However, things turned out in a different way in reality. Speaking to Gauri Lankesh News, Leela Godara, Mandeep Punia’s wife, has said that Mandeep wasn’t even allowed his defence lawyer in the hearing. She stated that, “the hearing was supposed to start at 2, but was deliberately begun half an hour before to finish it by 1:55, such that he will have no chance to get his defense presented.”
Mandeep’s case is to be listened for a bail plea tomorrow again. Hartosh Singh Bal, the political editor of The Caravan, informed through Twitter that Metropolitan Magistrate has listed the Bail Plea for Monday, and directed the Investigating Officer to file his formal response.
in mandeep punia's case metropolitan magistrate directs 'IO to file formal reply forwarded through SHO. Put up before concerned court for 01/02.' hopefully he will get bail tomorrow
— Hartosh Singh Bal (@HartoshSinghBal) January 31, 2021
As written in an article earlier by Gauri Lankesh News, Mandeep was arrested from Singhu Border on a Police Personnel’s claim that he was manhandled by Mandeep. Leela Godara has further informed us that although Mandeep was first taken to Alipur Police Station, he was transferred to 2-3 police stations before finally being brought to the Hearing.
Many observers allege that the reason behind his detention was not manhandling – a claim which is contradicted by Newslaundry’s reporting – and rather his reporting around the violence that broke out on Friday by the coming of ‘local public’ which pelted stones on the farmers while Police stood by.
