A Delhi court will pass the order today on the bail plea of freelance journalist Mandeep Punia arrested by the Delhi Police from the Singhu border protest site here where farmers are agitating against the three contentious agri laws.

The Editors Guild of India said on Monday the arrest was an attempt to muzzle young “courageous” voices of independent scribes and demanded his immediate release even as Punia told the court that a freelance journalist not carrying a press card can be no grounds for a case or arrest.

Punia was arrested by the police on Sunday in an FIR registered under various IPC sections including 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty). He was later sent to 14-day judicial custody.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Satvir Singh Lamba reserved the order for Tuesday after hearing the arguments of the accused as well as the public prosecutor.

Advocate Akram Khan, appearing for Punia, told the court that the accused was merely carrying out his journalistic duties.

Khan said that another journalist was detained along with Punia but he was released around midnight. The journalist who was released was identified as Dharmender Singh.

The reason police gave different treatment to the accused was because he was not carrying a press card, he claimed.

Accused is a freelance journalist and not carrying a press card can be no grounds for a case or arrest. The accused is a well respected member of the society being a journalist including being a frequent contributor to the Caravan magazine, he said.

Delhi Police sought dismissal of the bail application, claiming he may again indulge in instigating the protestors and create nuisance at the protest site.

The police alleged that the accused tried to break the barricades and scuffled with police personnel deputed for the highly sensitive law and order arrangement in connection with the protest by the farmers.

It claimed that during the investigation, Punia neither cooperated nor did he disclose any name of his associates.

Demanding that Punia be released forthwith, the EGI said in a statement that Delhi Police should “restore circumstances” in which the media can report without fear or favour.

“The EGI is deeply concerned over the incarceration of freelance journalist Mandeep Punia who was reporting on the farm protest from the Singhu border. Punia’s arrest is an attempt to muzzle young courageous voices of independent journalists that through reporting are busting fake news and speaking truth to power,” it said.

The Indian Women’s Press Corps, Press Club of India and the Press Association had on Sunday demanded Punia’s immediate release and said no journalist should be disturbed while carrying out their duties at any place.

“Such crackdowns impinge on the media’s right to report freely and interferes with our right to freedom of expression, and freedom of the press as guaranteed by the Constitution of India,” the bodies had said in a joint statement.

New Delhi: Workers under the watch of police personnel on Monday hooked iron rods between two rows of cement barriers on a flank of the main highway at the Singhu border to further restrict the movement of protesters agitating against the new farm laws at the site.

Another portion of the highway at the Delhi-Haryana border is practically blocked now as a makeshift cement wall has come up there.

A worker drilling rods in cross-formation between two rows of solid barriers in the afternoon, said, “The other flank was done yesterday. Cement is to be poured in the space between the barriers on this flank to make a makeshift wall”.

The move comes days after the violent clashes between some protesters and police on January 26 during the tractor parade by the agitating farmers.

The section of the highway at the Singhu border, which has been the epicentre of the farmers’ protests for over 60 days, had also seen a clash recently between farmers and a group of people who claimed to be local residents.

On Monday, the Delhi side of the Singhu border saw a sparse crowd of protesters while the Haryana side was dominated by vociferous speeches denouncing the new farm laws and clarion calls to infuse a new sense of solidarity in the agitation after the Republic Day incident.

Security personnel from the paramilitary forces, RAF and CRPF, were seen in relatively less numbers compared to the past few days but a large number of police personnel manned the stretch spanking a mile from the protest site.

Besides the makeshift wall on the highway, a small trench was also dug up earlier across an inner street a little off the highway and cement barricades put up on both the sides.

The protesting farmers and leaders at a tent, however, showed no signs of being cowed down and asserted that “these barricades put up around us can’t cage our spirit”.

All of them alleged that on January 26, “a conspiracy was made to malign this movement” and “defame it”, and more such attempts are being made while asserting that the agitation has “come out stronger” now.

Jashandeep Singh, 28, a resident of Mohali, who left his private job, and wife and one-year-old daughter behind in his hometown, to join the movement at Singhu Border, from its early days, said, “We are not retreating an inch”.

“If they think, we will get intimidated by these force tactics, then they are mistaken. We are warriors, and our fight is for everyone, and for the future generations of this country. And, they may make cement walls, but no wall is high for our free spirit. This movement is not a flood that can be checked with a dam. It’s a tsunami, no walls can stop it,” he said.

In the evening, cement was poured into a section of the double-sided solid barricade, even as a group of youth from the families of farmers, stood huddled around right next to the barricade on the other side.

“They are making a wall to stop the farmers, and that too with the taxpayers’ money. Is the media listening,” screamed one of the youths from the crowd as police officials and personnel watched from the Delhi side of border.

Earlier in the day, Balwinder Singh Sirsa, a farmer leader from Sirsa, Haryana, while addressing farmers, exhorted them to not get demotivated by what happened on January 26 as it was “orchestrated by some people to denigrate the movement”.

A woman protester from Haryana, addressing a huge gathering from the dais, said the alleged conspiracy on that day has “failed to weaken this movement” and has rather injected “a new lease of life” in it.

Randhir Singh, 85, a farmer from Haryana, also addressed the gathering saying “I have worked with legends Mahendra Singh Tikait and I know how Jat movement was weakened few years ago”.

“What happened on January 26 was a conspiracy. It was not done by farmers but all was part of a smear campaign bring run to defame the movement,” he alleged.

“We are not terrorists or Khalistani. We are fighting for our rights. Attempts are still being made to defame and weaken us. But Tikait’s tears have awakened the farmers of Haryana, UP, and other states,” he said.

 Farmer unions Monday announced a countrywide ‘chakka jam’ on February 6 when they would block national and state highways for three hours in protest against the Internet ban in areas near their agitation sites, harassment allegedly meted out to them by authorities, and other issues.

Union leaders told a press conference at the Singhu Border, on the Haryana side, that they will block the roads between 12 pm to 3 pm on February 6.

They also alleged that farmers have been “ignored” in the Union Budget 2021-22, and water and power supply have been curtailed, and mobile toilet blocks being removed, at their protest venues.

Swaraj Abhiyan leader Yogendra Yadav alleged the action against the Twitter account was taken on the “request of government authorities”, adding accounts of some private individuals, who have been very vocal against the movement, have also been restricted.

He also claimed that the Union government has “reduced the allocation to agriculture sector” in this budget.

Balbir Singh Rajewal, a farmer leader from Punjab, and part of the SKM, told reporters that the modalities of the ‘Chakka Jam’ on February 6 will be decided after discussing it with various unions unanimously, including those protesting at Ghazipur border site, the new focal point of the farmers movement against the new farm laws.

Rajewal claimed during the press conference that scores of people have been “detained by the police” besides FIRs filed against many, including a journalist.

“Our February 6 protest would also be against this harassment faced by journalists who are trying to report the truth from the ground, and the Twitter restrictions,” he said.

Swaraj Abhiyan’s Yadav alleged that the Union government has “reduced the allocation to agriculture sector” in this year’s budget. And, even percentage of allocation has gone down from “5.1 pc last fiscal to 4.3 pc this year”.

He asserted that mahapanchayats are happening in the country, while the government is trying to “have its way”.

These mahapanchayats will “dismantle the arrogance” of the government and the agitation will destroy the “shrewdness of the central government,” Yadav said.

Asserting that the government is committed towards farmers” welfare, Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Monday proposed 10 per cent hike in the farm loan disbursal target to Rs 16.5 lakh crore, and introduced an agri infra and development cess of up to 100 per cent to create post-harvest infrastructure for improving farmers’ income.

The minister also proposed higher allocation for Rural Infrastructure Development Fund and Micro Irrigation Fund, and extended Agriculture Infrastructure Fund to APMCs for augmenting infrastructure facilities.

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Tuesday decided to offer legal help to protesting farmers and journalists for relief and redressal of their grievances.

This was decided at a meeting of Congress leaders of the legal cell chaired by Rajya Sabha member Vivek Tankha.

Members of the Congress legal cells in Delhi, Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh were also present at the meeting.

They decided that a delegation of chairmen of legal departments from Punjab, Haryana and Delhi will visit farmer leaders at the protest sites at borders in Delhi to apprise them of the services already undertaken by the legal department and to help agitating farmers and journalists regarding relief and redressal.

They also passed a resolution stating that in the four states of Punjab, Haryana, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, a committee of lawyers from the Legal Department be formed in all districts, with names and contact numbers, in the next 48 hours.

“Help the farmer organizations in preparing a list of missing persons by visiting jails and meeting jail authorities, police stations and other authorities,” the resolution said.

“The legal cells will consider filing petitions in the high court to challenge the systematic suspension of Internet services in a large number of districts to scuttle peaceful protest of farmers,” the resolution added.

They also decided to maintain close coordination among the lawyers of the legal departments of Punjab, Haryana, UP and Delhi to identify people under detention in Delhi in the course of farmers’ protest and intimate the families and the detainees about legal options available to them.

The Congress has been supporting the protests against the three farm laws and have asked the farmers to continue with their agitation, saying the party would extend all support to them.

Jammu and Udhampur districts have been reserved for Scheduled Castes while Anantnag and Rajouri districts reserved for Scheduled Tribes

SRINAGAR: The election of chairpersons to 5 out of the 20 District Development Councils (DDC) in Jammu and Kashmir would be held on February 6, while the process of electing heads of other district councils would be completed by 20th of this month.

The decks for election to DDC heads were cleared after the J&K State Election Commission (SEC) overruled all objections and representations against its draft reservation order for offices of DDCs last week. The SEC said the objections and representation were “devoid of any merit”.

Of the 20 DDCs in J&K, 10 DDCs including Bandipora, Budgam, Kulgam, Kupwara, Pulwama and Srinagar in Kashmir and Doda, Kathua, Reasi and Samba in Jammu region have been kept in Open Category while six DDCs including Baramulla, Ganderbal and Shopian in the Valley and Kishtwar, Ramban and Poonch in Jammu region have been reserved for women.

Jammu and Udhampur districts have been reserved for Scheduled Castes while Anantnag and Rajouri districts reserved for Scheduled Tribes. The election of DDC chairperson would be held in Jammu, Kathua, Srinagar, Shopian and Kulgam districts on February 6, sources said.

PATNA: The Patna divisional commissioner Sanjay Kumar Aggarwal has ordered directing all the owners of commercial and residential buildings to install the CCTV surveillance system by March 31.

There are around 1500 high-rise buildings of apartments in Patna besides other commercial and residential buildings. And all of these buildings are to be brought under the CCTV surveillance system for security reasons.

The order has been passed after an alarming increase in crimes in the city. The Patna commissioner has directed to install CCTV at identified important places apart from buildings and apartments ensuring monitoring of its functioning effectively.

In this regard, Divisional Commissioner Sanjay Kumar Aggarwal has instructed in the meeting of the Divisional Safety Committee that the apartments where CCTVs are not installed should be installed by March 31, and where CCTVs have already been installed, proper functioning must be ensured.

The most important decision taken by the commissioner is that the installation of CCTV cameras will have to be mentioned while getting clearance of the map of houses from the Patna Municipal Corporation.

“In Patna, it is now necessary to mention the CCTV point only while passing the map of the apartment / commercial complex in future, otherwise the map cannot be passed,” Aggarwal said.

The entire area covering the entrance of the apartment, exit door, stairway, near the lift, parking, location on each floor and outside at the gate have to be brought under CCTV camera surveillance.

The installation of CCTV cameras has been made mandatory at the entry and exit gates of all banks in Patna.  “For this, the DM and the SSP have directed to get it ensured in addition to the petrol pump, jewellery shops and the hospitals,” he said.

GHAZIABAD: Residents of three villages in Ghaziabad have boycotted and banned entry of their local MLA Nand Kishor Gurjar for “disrespecting” farmers, days after he was accused of intimidating protesters at the ongoing farmer’s agitation against new farm laws at Ghazipur.

Banners declaring opposition to the BJP MLA have come up in Banthla, Behta and Afzalpur Nistoli villages, where locals and panchayats have made the boycott announcements in the last few days.

Nand Kishor, however, has denied the allegations and claimed that Bharatiya Kisan Union leader Rakesh Tikait, who is leading the protest at Ghazipur border, has falsely accused him and is “misleading” the country over the issue.

The MLA also offered to resign from the post if allegations about his presence at protest site are proved.

“Gaon Banthala Loni Vidhayak Nand Kishor Gurjar ka bahishkaar karta hai. Jo Kisanon ka apmaan karega, Banthla gaon use bardaasth nahin karega (Village Banthala boycotts Loni MLA Nand Kishor Gurjar. Banthala won’t tolerate anyone who disrespects farmers),” reads a banner hung at the Banthla village entry point.

A similar banner came up in Afzalpur Nistoli village on Monday, a day after the announcement in Banthla.

On January 31, elderly people at Behta too announced boycott of the local MLA after a panchayat and appealed to him to not visit the hamlet.

“Nand Kishor went to Rakesh Tikait’s event and spoke wrong things there. In view of this, the village, its society and the panchayat decided to boycott him. Please do not visit this village,” village’s panchayat member Mohan Singh Dhama announced.

Earlier, prominent Gurjar leader and former MLA Madan Bhaiyya had also lashed out at Nand Kishor for his alleged actions and extended his community’s support to the farmers’ “peaceful and non-political” protest.

“But ruckus created by one anti-national element has embarrassed the whole country and because of which the protesting farmers felt discouraged and demotivated despite being innocent,” he had said in a statement.

Journalists Mrinal Pande, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath and Anant Nath also approached the top court on Tuesday evening against the FIRs

NEW DELHI; Congress MP Shashi Tharoor and senior journalist Rajdeep Sardesai have moved the Supreme Court against multiple FIRs registered against them over their alleged “misleading” tweets on the violence during the farmers’ tractor rally here on Republic Day.

Journalists Mrinal Pande, Zafar Agha, Paresh Nath and Anant Nath also approached the top court on Tuesday evening against the FIRs.

On January 30, Delhi Police had filed a case against Tharoor, Sardesai, The Caravan and others.

Earlier, Tharoor and six journalists were booked by the Noida Police for sedition, among other charges, over the violence during the farmers’ tractor rally in Delhi, officials had said.

Madhya Pradesh police has also filed a case against Tharoor and the six journalists over their alleged ”misleading” tweets on the violence during the farmers’ tractor rally in Delhi.

On January 26, thousands of protesting farmers had clashed with the police during the tractor rally called by farmer unions to highlight their demand for repeal of the Centre’s three farm laws.

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Chief Metropolitan Magistrate observed that the complainant, victims and witnesses are police personnel only hence there is no possibility that accused/ applicant can influence them.

NEW DELHI:  A Delhi court Tuesday granted bail to freelance journalist Mandeep Punia who was arrested by Delhi Police from farmers’ protest site at Singhu border.

The complainant, victims and witnesses were police personnel only, “hence, there is no possibility that accused/ applicant can able to influence any of the police officials”, Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Satvir Singh Lamba said while granting the bail.

Punia was arrested by police on Sunday in an FIR registered under various sections including 186 (Obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 353 (Assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty) and 332 (Voluntarily causing hurt to deter public servant from his duty) of IPC.

The judge also noted in the order that the alleged scuffle incident of case was of around 6.30 PM, “however, the present FIR was registered at around 1.21 AM on the next day”.

He further said, “Admittedly, the accused is a freelance journalist. Moreso, no recovery is to be effected from the accused person and keeping the accused further in Judicial Custody would not serve any cogent purpose.”

He said it was well settled legal principle of law that “bail is a rule and jail is an exception”.

“Hence, considering the totality of facts and circumstances of the present case, submissions on behalf of both the parties as well as keeping in view the period of detention of the accused in judicial custody, he is admitted to bail on furnishing bail bond in a sum of Rs 25,000 along with one sound surety in the like amount,” the judge said.

The court also imposed various conditions on the accused, including that he will not leave the country without its prior permission.

“Accused shall not indulge into similar offence or any other offence in the event of release on bail. Accused shall not tamper with the evidences in any manner,” it said.

It further directed that the accused shall join the investigations as and when required by the investigating agency.

Punia has told the court that he was innocent and was falsely implicated in the case.

“The offences as alleged in the present FIR are not made out against the accused. The accused is a freelance journalist and was carrying out his duties along with another journalists at the protest site of Singhu Border, Delhi,” his lawyer had told the court on Monday.

It was further contended that another journalist was also apprehended by the police, but was released in the mid night.

“However, the accused was not released as he was not carrying any press ID card. Accused is a freelance journalist and used to write the articles and is a frequent contributor to the Caravan magazine,” the counsel said.

He further said that accused had roots in the society and that he will co-operate in the investigation, as per law.

Delhi police had opposed the bail application on the ground that the allegations against Punia were “grave and serious in nature“.

It said that the accused may again indulge in instigating the protestors and may create nuisance at the protest site with the group of different people and may hamper the investigation.

Punia was sent to 14-day judicial custody on Sunday.