After Nisha bail, legal aid for jailed villagers

GURGAON: Though MCG councillor Nisha Singh, who was arrested for inciting mob violence at a HUDA demolition drive in Fatehpur Jharsa on May 15, has managed to get bail in the case, 18 others, including eight women held on same charges of rioting and attempt to murder, are still languishing in jail.
Eight days on, civil society members and the district legal services authority (DLSA) have come together to extend legal help to the accused villagers � 10 men and eight women, one woman being granted bail by a city court on Friday.They will appoint a lawyer who will fight the case on the behalf of the accused.
"We are working closely with DLSA to establish the facts and appoint a legal counsel for these villagers so that they too can get bail. We are going to apply for bail for the eight women on Monday. Hopefully they will get bail," said Preekshit Dhillon, a civil society activist.
"Dozens of slum dwellers were arrested and are now in Bhondsi jail, including women. This is an extremely unfortunate situation. It is our earnest plea that the women be released at the earliest, on humanitarian ground," said Priya V K Singh, another activist.
Civil society members will also meet Gurgaon police commissioner Navdeep Singh Virk on Saturday and seek his assistance to ensure that necessary medical help is provided to some of the accused who had sustained injuries during the demolition drive. "There are allegations that some of the villagers who were injured in the violence and are now in Bhondsi jail are not being provided with proper medical care. We will meet the police commissioner on Saturday to request his help is making sure that they are provided proper medical care," Dhillon said.
Suruchi Atreja Singh, the chief judicial magistrate-cum-secretary DLSA, said, "There is a provision to provide legal aid to those who are not able to hire a lawyer. Their applications are under process and we will appoint a regular counsel soon."
A total of 20 people — 10 men and 10 women, including Nisha Singh, were arrested post violence at the demolition drive and sent to judicial custody.
The councilor, however, got bail under Section 437 of the Criminal Procedure Code, which allows a woman to be granted bail even if the charges against her are non-bailable.