Delhi Court rejects bail plea of ex-Congress municipal councillor in violence case

A Delhi court on Friday dismissed the bail petition of former Congress municipal councillor Ishrat Jahan, who was arrested on Wednesday, in connection with a case related to the violence in north-east Delhi. Additional Sessions Judge Naveen Gupta rejected her plea saying that the charges against her are serious in nature.

"When the protectors of law are targeted in the manner as reflected in present FIR and that too, in the gaze of the general public, such actions lower the public confidence in the ability of police officers to do their duty," the court observed.

The court said that the accused woman does not deserve bail at this point.

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Serious allegations on Ishrat Jahan

According to Delhi Police, the former Congress councillor participated in an Anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) for several days near a petrol pump in Jagat Puri, despite Section 144 being imposed. Police said that the police in Khureji Khas was holding a flag march on February 26, when they heard shots and reached a Community Centre in Masjid wali Gali, amidst a large crowd.

"They asked the persons to disperse. The crowd included Ishrat Jahan and several other persons out of which some have been named in the FIR. They were asked to vacate the road, but all of them refused to do so," police added.

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Delhi Police said that the people named in the FIR, including Jahan, did not allow the crowd to disperse and instead instigated them, due to which the crowd began pelting stones at police officials. The police added that one of the persons from the crowd opened fire at HC Yograj, after which the officials used appropriate force to bring the situation under control.

On the contrary, Ishrat Jahan's counsel argued that she participated in a peaceful protest that went on 49 days and no complaint of any criminal activity was moved against the protesters. The counsel also further said protesting against any "unreasonable measure" of the government is a fundamental right of citizens.

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(With inputs from ANI)