Activist couple Ekta and Ravi Shekhar, who were among the more than 60 persons arrested in Varanasi for protesting against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act on December 19, were granted bail on Wednesday.
More than 50 others, including their colleagues and fellow environmental activist Saniya Anwar, were also granted bail, lawyers said.
Toddler at home
They are expected to be released on Thursday.
The incarceration of the couple, who run the NGO Climate Agenda, in Varanasi, Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s constituency, led to much outrage as they have a toddler at home waiting for their return .
Sarvesh Kumar Pandey, additional sessions judge, granted bail to them on the submission of two bail bonds of ₹25,000 each.
Himachal Singh, lawyer for Ms. Ekta and Saniya Anwar, said the bail order reached the Varanasi district jail late.
The activists and students of the BHU and Mahatma Gandhi Kashi Vidyapeeth, were arrested on December 19 while marching in protest against the CAA and the NRC towards the Beniabagh Maidan in the city.
The police charged them for rioting, unlawful assembly, disobedience and assault. However, associates of those booked said the protests were peaceful and accused the police of excessive action.
As per the FIR lodged at Chetganj police station, the protesters violated Section 144 and while they were near Saraigovardhan, allegedly shouted”"anti-national slogans.” Police claimed they tried to reason with the protesters and explain that their march violated law and caused inconvenience to the public. “But they became more aggressive and broke out at the police force, shoving and punching, and started chasing those looking on,” the FIR lodged by SHO Pravin Kumar said.
While the FIR alleged that the protesters created a sense of chaos and fear, forcing people to shut their shops, there is no mention of any violence.
Sashikant Tiwari, brother of Ravi Shekhar,last week talking to The Hindu, said the protest was “extremely peaceful” and questioned the police arrests. Around 60-65 persons were peacefully protesting when police stopped them and packed them into a bus for detention, he said.
“They offered no resistance and went with the police,” said Mr. Tiwari.
Ravi Shekhar and Ekta Singh work on social and environment causes and are part of an NGO Climate Agenda. Their colleague Saniya Anwar was also arrested, along with activists Anoop Shramnik and Sanjay Singh, and several students and scholars, Gandhians and Ambedkarites.
