‘Charges against Virender not made out prima facie’

ROHTAK COURT, HOWEVER, REJECTS HIS ANTICIPATORY BAIL PLEA, ASKS HIM TO SURRENDER TO JOIN PROBE

ROHTAK: The Rohtak sessions court on Tuesday ruled out a prima facie case of sedition under Section 124A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) against Virender, a close aide of former chief minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

The court, however, rejected his anticipatory bail plea and asked him to surrender immediately and join the investigation.

Judge Sushil Kumar said if Virender were given an anticipatory bail, “it would scuttle the investigation, which cannot be permitted keeping in view the magnitude of the incident”.

Virender’s lawyer JK Gakhar said: “It is a major victory for us as the judge has ruled out the sedition case against Virender. The phone conversation between the two (Virender and Captain Man Singh) had nothing that could incite violence or disaffection towards the state government.”

The judgment reads: “I do agree that from the conversation between the accused (Virender) and Captain Man Singh, the offence of sedition is prima-facie not made out as from said conversation, it cannot be concluded that the agitation had gone violent on the instigation of the accused-applicant. There may be other reasons for the same.”

Virender’s council in Delhi Navdeep Singh said they will move the high court to seek his bail.

EFFORTS ON TO ARREST VIRENDER: ROHTAK IGP

Meanwhile, Virender continues to be on the run. Rohtak inspector general of police Sanjay Kumar said police teams were on the field trying to nab him. “We are trying hard to arrest him. Our teams are conducting raids and we are hopeful of arresting him soon,” said Kumar.

Earlier, an FIR was registered against Virender at the Rohtak Civil Lines police station under Section 124A, 153A, 153B, 120B and 109B of the IPC and Section 3 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act for allegedly provoking unprecedented riots in the state.