Arrested AAP MLA Surinder Singh gets bail in assault case

NEW DELHI: AAP MLA from Delhi Cantonment area Surinder Singh, arrested for allegedly assaulting an NDMC worker, was today granted bail by a court here.

Metropolitan Magistrate Gomati Manocha also enlarged the two other accused-- Singh's driver Pankaj and assistant Praveen -- on a personal bond of Rs 30,000 each with one surety of the like amount.

The court had reserved its order earlier in the day after the MLA questioned its jurisdiction to deal with the case lodged under the SC/ST Act and sought bail.

The police had demanded that all the three accused, who were produced before the court, be remanded to judicial custody in the case as witnesses in the case have been threatened and the allegations against them were grave and severe.

The police had alleged that Singh misused his position and had assaulted New Delhi Municipal Council(NDMC) beldar Mukesh and had also used casteist remarks against him.

Senior advocate Ramesh Gupta, who appeared for Singh, while seeking bail for the accused, had said that Singh being a former NSG commando had served the nation during the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks and had also sustained serious injuries at that time.

The counsel had also questioned the jurisdiction of the court to deal with the case saying it did not have the power to hear the matter lodged under provisions of the Scheduled Castes and the Scheduled Tribes(Prevention of Atrocities) Act.

On August 4, Surinder Singh was booked for allegedly beating and manhandling an NDMC worker in Tughlaq road area when a team of municipal officials was doing routine their check and had apprehended an e-rickshaw driver to ascertain his documents.

Singh is the third AAP MLA who has been arrested in the last two months. Former Delhi Law Minister Jitendra Singh Tomar was held in a fake educational degree case in June and Kondli legislator Manoj Kumar was apprehended in July.