Did not incite R-Day violence, helped cops: Deep Sidhu in court

New Delhi, February 26

Actor-activist Deep Sidhu, arrested in connection with the Red Fort violence on Republic Day, has moved the court seeking fair and impartial investigation in the case by the agencies, asserting that he did not incite violence, rather helped police to pacify the crowd.

On January 26, protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally against three farm laws. During the clash, a section of protesters had entered the Red Fort and hoisted a religious flag. The police arrested Sidhu on February 9 and said he instigated the violence and was the key conspirator.

Sidhu, through an application moved by his counsel Abhishek Gupta, showed his apprehension about the fair and impartial investigation by the agencies.

He told the court that he was at a hotel in Murthal till 12 pm on the day of violence and reached the Red Fort at 2 pm.

"Huge crowd had already gathered at the spot before the accused reached there," he stated in the application, adding he had asked police to check these claims by obtaining his phone location and data from car navigation system but "agency has chosen not to check it". — IANS