Court grants bail to man accused of assaulting cop

New Delhi: A Delhi court has granted bail to a man accused of assaulting a police constable on emergency PCR duty, saying the prosecution’s video footage did not show the presence of a co-accused at the spot at the time of the alleged offence and questioning the unexplained delay in registering the FIR.

Additional Sessions Judge Munish Bansal was hearing the bail plea of Vipanshu Rana, who was arrested in connection with an FIR registered under various Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) provisions, including those relating to assault or obstruction of a public servant. In an order dated August 25, the court said,

“The video footage of the incident does not reveal the presence of co-accused Raghav at the place of incident, as alleged by the prosecution. Even the scooty alleged to have been used during the commission of the offence is stated to have not been recovered.”

According to the prosecution, on the intervening night of May 12 and May 13, constable Saurav Kumar, who was performing emergency PCR duty, responded to a call about a quarrel. When he reached the spot, he was told that two men riding a Jupiter scooter had assaulted the caller and his customers.

The constable allegedly chased the two men and intercepted them near the Baba Balaknath temple at Chander Vihar.

According to the prosecution, the men refused to disclose their identities, abused and assaulted the constable, tore his uniform and fled while threatening him. However, the court noted several discrepancies in the prosecution’s case.