A day later, 44 vandals get bail

Judicial Magistrate First Class of the Ahmedabad district court on Thursday granted conditional bails to 42 people accused of their involvement in violent protests against the release of 'Padmaavat'.

On Tuesday night, a group of protesters had organised a rally at the Iscon Square, with required permission for a candle march. They later split into smaller groups and vandalised multiplexes and torched vehicles parked outside.

The Vastrapur and Satellite police arrested 42 persons in connection to the violence and booked them under section 308 of the Indian Penal Code. The Judicial Magistrate First Class approved their bail application on conditions that they will appear before the investigating officer in the case, cooperate in the investigation and will not attempt to influence the witnesses or tamper with the evidence.

The petitioners' argued that section 308 can be invoked only if any person is injured or has died at the hands of the accused. However, no such incident occurred and the section was invoked against them mechanically.

While granting bail to the accused, the court concluded that as all the accused were local residents, they were unlikely to flee. The court also noted that most of them were youth for whom this was their first offence and none of them had any anecdotes or criminal history.

The accused will have to appear before the investigation officer on the first of every month, until the charge sheet is filed. The court also warned them not to indulge in such offences in the future.