Delhi’s Rouse Avenue Court has asked 10 TMC leaders to furnish bail bonds by May 13 in a case linked to their protest outside the Election Commission office. The protest allegedly violated Section 144 CrPC imposed at the time.
New Delhi: On April 30, The Rouse Avenue Court in Delhi has directed leaders of the Trinamool Congress (TMC) to furnish their bail bonds on May 13, 2025, in connection with a case related to a protest held outside the Election Commission of India (ECI) office. The next date of hearing has been scheduled for the same day.
The case involves senior TMC leaders including Member of Parliament Derek O’Brien, Mohd Nadimul Haque, Dola Sen, Saket Gokhle, Sagarika Ghosh, and other prominent party members like Vivek Gupta, Arpita Ghosh, Shantanu Sen, Abir Ranjan Biswas, and Sudip Raha.
These leaders were summoned by the Rouse Avenue Court in relation to the protest that took place on April 8, 2024, just ahead of the General Elections.
On the date of the hearing, only one accused, TMC leader Vivek Gupta, appeared physically before the court. The remaining eight leaders were granted exemption from personal appearance by Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate (ACJM) Neha Mittal, and they were represented by their respective lawyers.
During the same hearing, the court observed that a fresh summons had to be issued to one of the accused, Shantanu Sen, by the Delhi Police. However, the summons could not be served because the police reported that he was not living at the address provided in the official records.
Earlier, on April 21, 2025, the Rouse Avenue Court had officially summoned the 10 TMC leaders in this case after reviewing a chargesheet and a complaint filed by the Delhi Police. This complaint is linked to the leaders’ alleged violation of lawful orders and unlawful assembly during their protest.
The court said,
“I have perused the charge-sheet as well as the complaint under Section 195 CrPC. I take cognisance of the offences punishable under Section 188/145/34 IPC,” as ordered by ACJM Neha Mittal on April 21.
The case is based on allegations that the TMC leaders had disobeyed an official order from a public servant and continued an unlawful assembly even after being ordered to disperse.
According to the police, the TMC leaders gathered outside the main gate of the Election Commission of India on April 8, 2024, around 4:00 PM. They were seen holding placards and banners and protesting without any prior permission, despite Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code (CrPC) being in force at the time.
The FIR states that the accused continued their protest despite receiving multiple warnings about the imposition of Section 144 CrPC, which prohibits the assembly of four or more people in an area to prevent public disorder. As a result, the police were compelled to register a case against the TMC leaders.
The court will now wait for the leaders to furnish their bail bonds on May 13, as the legal proceedings continue in this politically sensitive case involving high-profile opposition leaders.
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