Bhim Army chief surrenders, sent to 14-day remand

New Delhi: Bhim Army chief Chandrashekhar Azad, who had escaped from police custody on Friday, surrendered to the police at around 3.15 am on Saturday outside Jama Masjid. He was later denied bail and remanded to judicial custody for 14 days by a city court.

Though the police was on a lookout for him and there was a tight security ring outside Jama Masjid, Mr Azad said that he had sneaked into the masjid around 1.30 pm on Friday, wearing a skull cap and wrapping himself in a long shawl. “My name is Chandrashekhar Azad. The police cannot hold me captive. I wore a cap and a shawl and entered the mosque easily,” he said.

When Mr Azad was inside Jama Masjid, the police had been sending feelers for him to come out.

In the wee hours of Saturday, Mr Azad stepped out and surrendered.

Before getting into the police van, Mr Azad told the crowd: “I am giving myself up to the police.”

Mr Azad sought bail from the court on the ground that there is no evidence that he instigated the Jama Masjid crowd to go to Delhi Gate where the protesters turned violent on Friday.

The police opposed his bail plea on the ground that he may threaten witnesses and his judicial remand is necessary for the sake of law and order. The court dismissed his bail plea and sent him to 14 days’ judicial custody.

The police suspect he instigated the crowd, which turned violent near Delhi Gate.

On Friday, after playing hide and seek with security personnel for several hours, Mr Azad surfaced inside the mosque. He had given the Delhi Police a slip to reach the mosque.