Bhushan attackers released on bail

The three - Inder Verma, Delhi president of Sri Ram Sene, and  Vishnu Gupta and Tejender Pal Singh Bagga of the Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena - were sent to one day's judicial custody Thursday.

Verma, who had assaulted Bhushan, was arrested Wednesday while the other two surrendered Thursday.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sudesh Kumar granted them bail, denying Delhi Police's plea which sought police remand of Bagga.

“I do not find proper ground to grant police custody of the accused. The accused are set free on bail,” said the court, directing the accused to serve a personal and surety bond of Rs.25,000 each.

It further directed the accused not to visit the Supreme Court without its prior permission.

Initiating the arguments, the public prosecutor stated they require the police remand of Bagga as he is the main accused and through him they have to arrest an absconding accused, Arun Kumar.

“Bagga is the president of the Bhagat Singh Kranti Sena while Kumar is its general secretary. This was a planned attack and the duo was the masterminds,” said the prosecutor.

He said the accused first sought an appointment from Bhushan, impersonating as students, and then attacked him.

Defence counsel countered the arguments, asking the court why were  the police not taking any action against Bhushan.

“Why is it that no action is taken against Bhushan, who is speaking the way Pakistani Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) does? By making this statement, the complainant has himself committed three violations of the IPC (Indian Penal Code),” said defence counsel.
There was a heated argument between defence counsel and prosecutor when the latter said it was a shameful act and counsel should have not turned up to fight the case for the accused youths.

Outside the court, activists of the right-wing Sri Ram Sene celebrated. They distributed sweets and press releases which stated that Kashmir was India's land and no one should speak wrong about it.

Bhushan, a key member of Team Anna, had advocated for a referendum in Kashmir in a statement he gave in Varanasi last month.

Soon after his release, Verma issued a statement that the Sri Ram Sene welcomed Gandhian Anna Hazare and Kiran Bedi's stand on the issue.

"They (Hazare and Bedi) did not support the statement of Bhushan   who spoke in favour of Pakistan," the release said.