Held for blocking NH, farmers freed on bail

Tribune News Service
Ambala, October 17

All six farmers, who were arrested on Thursday in connection with a case registered for blocking national highway during the BJP tractor rally in Naraingarh, were granted bail on Saturday.

Farmers identified as Manjeet, Gurdev, Dhan Raj Singh, Prince, Deepender and Dharamvir Singh were produced in the local court on Friday, which sent them to one-day police remand, and after the end of their remand, they were produced again today where they were granted bail.

Rohit Jain, president, District Bar Association, Ambala, who is also the treasurer of the Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee, along with the Naraingarh Bar Association president Dharam Vir Dhindsa and some other advocates, appeared for the farmers before the court through videoconferencing on Saturday.

Rohit Jain said, “The police had sought 14-day judicial remand, but we argued that there was no requirement for the judicial remand after the completion of their one-day police remand. The farmers have been granted bail on the surety bond of Rs 60,000 each and they have to appear before the court on the next hearing. They were immediately released after furnishing the bonds.”

On the complaint of Rishi Pal of Loton village, a case was registered against nearly 300 farmers under Sections 8B (punishment for mischief by injury to national highway) of the NH Act, 148 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 341 (wrongful restraint), 427 (mischief causing damage) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC at the Naraingarh police station.

Gurmail Singh, SHO, Naraingarh, said, “The farmers were produced before a court, which granted them bail. Efforts are on to nab the remaining accused in the case.”