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Delhi High Court Grants Anticipatory Bail to Varun Gandhi

The Delhi High Court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to BJP parliamentary hopeful from Pilibhit, Varun Gandhi who faces criminal charges in Uttar Pradesh for his alleged anti-Muslim speeches, the case was lodged at the behest of the Election Commission.

The bail in effect till March 27 was provided by the Court of Justice Reva Khterapal against a personal bond of Rs 50,000, the order thwarts any attempts by the Uttar Pradesh police to arrest him in connection with the case.

Gandhi had moved the Delhi High Court on Thursday seeking anticipatory bail in a criminal case of conduct violation filed against him.

The decision comes as reprieve for the 29 year old Gandhi who has been cold shouldered by friends and foes alike since his alleged anti-Muslim speeches in his Uttar Pradesh constituency invited the wrath of the electoral reforms watchdog,

Gandhi, through Counsel, mentioned the petition before a Bench headed by Chief Justice AP Shah for early listing and the matter was heard on Friday.

The petition was moved in the Delhi High Court as there are no provisions to seek anticipatory bail in Uttar Pradesh, said the petition.

In continuum of what he has been saying to blunt Opposition charges, in the petition too, Gandhi mentioned that he was a victim of a conspiracy hatched to thwart his maiden electoral foray and iterated that the video footage showing him making the inflammatory speeches were ‘doctored’.

“There is no likelihood of the applicant absconding or fleeing from justice. If bail is not allowed, he will suffer irreparable consequences and great prejudice would cause to him, said the petition and added that the young Gandhi was ready to cooperate in the investigation.

Taking a serious view of the “speeches” and the subsequent protest lodged before it by the Congress, the EC directed UP police to bring criminal charges against the BJP leader and an FIR was lodged against him on March 17 at the Barkheda Police Station.

Gandhi faces charges under Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on ground of religion) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by a public servant) of the Indian Penal Code and Section 125 of the Representation of the People Act.

A petition has also been moved by Varun Gandhi in the Allahabad High Court seeking the quashing of the FIR which, according to him, is a result of a political conspiracy to spoil his political career and tarnish his secular image.

He petitioner has maintained that the video footage of a public meeting, on the basis of which the Election Commission took the action, was tampered with and did not contain his voice. The Allahabad High Court has not fixed a date to hear the matter.

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