R-Day Violence: Deep Sidhu’s Police Custody Extended by 7 Days

Sidhu had been arrested by the Delhi Police on 9 February in connection with the Republic Day violence.

Punjabi celebrity-turned-activist Deep Sidhu was arrested on Tuesday, 9 February, by the Delhi Police in connection with the Republic Day violence during the farmers’ tractor rally in Delhi.

(Photo: PTI)

Punjabi actor-turned-activist Deep Sidhu’s police custody was on Tuesday, 16 February, extended by seven days.

Sidhu had been arrested by the Delhi Police on 8 February in connection with the Republic Day violence during the farmers’ tractor rally in Delhi and later remanded to a seven-day police custody.

The police arrested Sidhu from Karnal in Haryana, while he was waiting for someone to pick him up.

On Saturday, the Delhi Police Crime Branch took the actor-turned-activist to the Red Fort reportedly for recreating the events as they had unfolded during the farmers’ tractor rally on 26 January.

Sidhu had earlier admitted to raising the Nishan Sahib flag at the Red Fort during the 26 January unrest in Delhi, following which farm union leaders accused him of provoking farmers to change the designated route of the tractor rally and march to the Red Fort.

After a video of Sidhu being chased by protesting farmers at the protest site went viral, he was claimed to be absconding. However, according to reports, Sidhu told the police that the reason for him having been in hiding was because “his life was at risk”.

He also reportedly stated that the tractor rally was a “well planned" event, and the farmer leaders in Punjab and at the Singhu Border were heard telling other farmers about their plans of taking the tractor rally to New Delhi, the Parliament, India Gate and the Red Fort weeks ahead of Republic Day.