Republic Day violence: Delhi Police registers case under UAPA to probe conspiracy angle

New Delhi:The Special Cell of the Delhi Police has registered a case under stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) which deals with sedition to probe the criminal conspiracy angle to the whole violence episode on the January 26 when the tractor rally went on rampage in many parts of the city.

Delhi Police in an official release said, “The role of conduct of organizations and individuals based in India and as well as those out of the country is being probed under UAPA and relevant sections of IPC dealing with sedition by the Special Cell of the Police.”

It further said said, “A preliminary assessment suggests there was a pre-conceived and well coordinated plan to break the agreement reached between Delhi Police and the leaders of farmers’ organisations, to indulge in violent confrontation with the security forces, to breach the sanctity of iconic and historical structures/monuments and to create an international embarrassment for the government on the occasion of the Republic Day.”

This was enough to indicate that that most the farmer leaders including Yogendra Yadav, Medha Patkar, Rakesh Tikait, Darshan Pal and others named in the FIRs would come within the ambit of the Special Cell’s probe under UAPA and sections of the IPC relating to sedition, a senior Police official said.

Union Home Ministry has also taken a strong views on the tractor rally violence and the Home Minister Amit Shah has instructed the city police to nail the rioters under stringent laws.

With reference to the role of banned organisation Sikhs for Justice (SFJ), which has been advocating ‘Referendum-2020′, a movement demanding a separate Sikh state, has also been brought within the ambit of probe, the official said.

A separate case under UAPA had already been registered against SFJ on January 8, 2021 by the Special Cell following information from intelligence agencies that the banned outfit was trying to infiltrate the farmers’ protests.

The SFJ had announced a reward of Rs 2.5 lakh to anyone who hoisted the Khalistan flag in New Delhi, the official said. The police official also claimed that 1,100 Pakistan-based Twitter handles were trying to disrupt the farmers’ Republic Day tractor march.(UNI)