A court in Delhi has decided to postpone its ruling on the bail applications of twenty-three individuals connected to the Kartavya Path protest case. The decision was deferred to next week after law enforcement officials informed the court they had additional evidence to present.
Fresh Police Evidence and Allegations
The investigating officer submitted a fresh status report containing several new findings. This report cited search histories from the accused's mobile phones, which allegedly showed videos and links related to Naxalite ideology and content. Judicial Magistrate Aridaman Singh Cheema stated he required time to examine this new report and the various allegations concerning the specific roles played by the accused during the protest.
The police report identified one of the accused, Gurkirat, as the president of the Bhagat Singh Chhatra Ekta Manch (BSCEM). It alleged that she had prepared to raise slogans in support of slain Maoist leader Madvi Hidma during the demonstration, which was ostensibly organized to highlight concerns about air pollution. The report further claimed that Gurkirat, along with her sister Ravjot and co-accused Ayeesha Wafiya, administered the BSCEM group.
An additional serious allegation in the document stated that these individuals attended the February 2025 anniversary program of the banned Naxalite outfit, the Radical Student Union (RSU), in Hyderabad. This aspect is now under separate investigation.
Specific Charges Against Key Accused
The prosecution's report included several other claims. It alleged that a chili spray recovered from one of the accused had been used against police officers during the protest. It also cited text messages allegedly sent by Gurkirat that glorified Madvi Hidma.
Regarding another key accused, Kranti, also known as Priyanshu, the prosecution alleged she administered the 'Himkhand' group and assisted in creating the 'Coordination Group for Protest 23rd.' The report also mentioned unverified claims that several protesters assaulted and outraged the modesty of female police officers during the incident.
Defence Opposition and Judicial Custody Orders
Defence lawyers strongly opposed the continued police custody of the accused. The counsel for accused Akash Banka argued, "We know they (police) need more time to investigate so they are seeking more custody, but we also need to know where this time is being allocated."
In a related development, four of the accused—Ayeesha Wafiya, Ravjot, Gurkirat, and Kranti—who are also facing charges in the separate Parliament Street case, were sent to seven-day judicial custody. Judicial Magistrate Twinkle Chawla dismissed a police request to extend their original three-day custody by fourteen days. The magistrate ruled that citing non-cooperation was insufficient grounds for prolonging detention.
As of now, all twenty-three accused in the primary Kartavya Path protest case remain under judicial custody. The court is expected to revisit the bail pleas next week after examining the fresh evidence presented by the Delhi Police.
