Delhi cops may quiz Deep Sidhu, he denies Red Fort violence link
NEW DELHI: Actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu, who was seen at Red Fort during a violent farmers’ protest, is likely to figure prominently in the list of people the Delhi Police will probe in connection with the mayhem on Republic Day, according to officials aware of the matter.
“He will be probed in two cases by two different units. The crime branch will probe him for the violence at Red Fort. The special cell will probe him for the alleged conspiracy and plans to embarrass the government and the country at an international platform for doing what he did on Tuesday,” one of the officials said.
The officials said they were yet to approach Sidhu, who allegedly led the mob that laid siege to the historic Red Fort, resorted to vandalism, and fought a pitched battle with the police after the protest by farmers against three agricultural laws plunged into chaos.
A video purportedly showing Sidhu at Red Fort has been circulating on social media. The 36-year-old, however, denies the allegations against him.
The officials privy to the investigation said Sidhu may not be in Delhi and could have already fled to Punjab or Haryana. Officials posted at the borders have informed the police’s top brass that Sidhu, who was in Singhu (on the Haryana border) on January 26 morning, has not been spotted since that night.
The Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM), an umbrella group that is organising the ongoing farmers’ protest, at Singhu and Tikri borders, blames Sidhu for the violence and for insulting the national flag at Red Fort.
The SKM is holding meetings with the government on the farm laws that they want scrapped, and agreed to follow certain routes specified by the Delhi Police during their rally on Republic Day. Trouble began after some protesters deviated from the routes agreed upon.
A lawyer, a Punjabi cinema artiste and an amateur basketball player, Sidhu made news during the 2019 general elections by campaigning for Bollywood actor Sunny Deol from Gurdaspur constituency. Deol won the election on a Bharatiya Janata Party ticket but later distanced himself from Sidhu.
Six months ago, Sidhu started commenting on political and social issues of Sikhs and Punjab on Facebook, and at times criticised the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh and the Centre. He, along with some Punjabi singers, joined the farmers’ stir at Shambu barrier on the border with Haryana on September 25.
On Thursday , Sidhu denied the charges through a Facebook post. “...We were exercising our democratic right to protest peacefully under the leadership of farmer union leaders. We did not damage property... everything was peaceful nobody disrespected national flag. Stop portraying this incident in any bad manner or bad light (sic)”.