NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Tuesday granted bail to 10 Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, including parliamentarians, in connection with a protest outside the Election Commission of India (ECI) office in April last year.
The incident took place on April 8, 2024, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections, when several TMC leaders gathered outside the ECI office in Delhi, despite Section 144 of Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC), which prohibits any processions or rallies due to law and order concerns, being in place.
The leaders, including members of Parliament (MPs) Derek O’Brien, Sagarika Ghosh, Mohd. Nadimul Haque, Dola Sen and Saket Gokhale, were accused of forming an unlawful assembly by holding placards and posters as part of their protests demanding removal of heads of investigating agencies, including CBI, ED, NIA, and Income Tax department, for working under the pressure of the government at Centre led by Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) during the 2024 general elections.
Additional chief judicial magistrate Neha Mittal of Rouse Avenue court granted bail to the 10 leaders, all of whom were present in the court in person, along with their lawyers. The court noted that since the chargesheet in the matter was filed without arrests, the leaders were granted bail on a personal bond of Rs. 10,000.
Following the protest, the leaders were booked under sections 188 (Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 145 (Joining or continuing in unlawful assembly) among other provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).
The FIR states that the accused leaders continued their protests despite warnings about the enforcement of rules under Section 144 CrPC.
The Delhi Police filed a chargesheet in the case on April 21. The court had noted, “I have perused the chargesheet as well as the complaint under Section 195 CrPC. I take cognisance of the offences…”
Following this, judicial magistrate Nehal Mittal went on to summon the accused persons.
During the last hearing on April 30, after noting that several leaders had moved applications seeking personal exemption from attending the hearing and some of the summons returning unserved, the court summoned the accused leaders on Tuesday.