New Delhi [India], February 28 : The Patiala House Court remanded Indian Youth Congress (IYC) President Uday Bhanu Chib to judicial custody in connection with the AI Summit protest case, even as he was granted bail earlier in the day.
The court directed that the bail bond and documents submitted on his behalf be verified before his release.
Judicial Magistrate First Class (JMFC) Vanshika Mehta sought a verification report by Sunday and declined to release Chib until the authenticity of the surety and related documents is confirmed. In the interim, he has been sent to judicial custody.
A midnight hearing was conducted at the residence of the Duty Magistrate after Chib was produced around 12:30 am, following the expiry of his four-day police custody. The court granted him bail on furnishing a bond of Rs 50,000 along with other conditions. These include surrendering his passport and electronic devices before the court.
The Delhi Police Crime Branch had sought a seven-day extension of Chib's police custody. However, the court refused the request, observing that the agency had failed to provide adequate reasons for further remand. The prosecution had also filed separate applications seeking custody of two other accused for five days and two days, respectively.
Advocate Mohammed Sulaiman, appearing for Chib, toldthat the court found the police had not justified the need for extended custody. He added that while granting bail, the magistrate imposed conditions, including the submission of a Rs 50,000 surety.
Advocate Rupesh Singh Bhadauria stated that Chib's arrest was not fresh, as he had already spent four days in police custody. He said the defence received a message around midnight informing them of Chib's production before the magistrate at 6 pm.
"Thankfully, we at least received a message for him, because we didn't even receive a message about the others. Then, at 12:30 am, we received a call saying he will be produced at 1 am. We arrived in a panic. His hearing began at 1:30 am," he said.
Earlier, on February 24, the Patiala House Court had granted four days of police custody to Chib. The court noted at the time that the case diary indicated he was not physically present at the protest site but was allegedly directing the protest and communicating with other accused persons.
The remand order further observed that merely alleging a compromise of sovereignty does not justify prolonged custody. The court had then stated that seven days of custody was excessive and that four days were sufficient, adding that the investigating agency must rationalise the need for custodial interrogation.
Chib was arrested by the Delhi Police on the morning of February 24 in connection with the AI Summit protest case.
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