Court grants bail to ISF leader Nawsad Siddique, 83 supporters

In a major relief for the Indian Secular Front (ISF), party MLA Nawsad Siddique and 83 of his supporters, who were arrested on Wednesday, have been granted bail. The court’s decision was met with a celebratory mood among hundreds of supporters who had gathered outside the court complex, demanding the immediate release of their leader.

Nawsad Siddique and his fellow party workers were arrested following a protest that turned violent on Wednesday. The MLA was specifically arrested on charges of obstructing police work, damaging government property, and blocking roads. He spent the night at the Jorasanko police station, while other ISF workers were held at various police stations across the Central Division before being produced in court on Thursday.

The area outside the court was a scene of intense emotion and political fervor. A large gathering of ISF supporters had formed, chanting slogans and expressing their support for their arrested leader. The crowd’s enthusiasm was palpable as Nawsad and his supporters were brought to the court, one by one, to be presented before the judge.

During the court proceedings, ISF's lawyer Firdous Shamim argued for the bail of the accused. He highlighted that many of the arrested individuals were not just party workers but were respectable professionals, including "government employees, teachers, and lawyers," with some even being "two engineers from WBSEDCL." The lawyer stated that the protest was in response to the sensitive OBC issue, which concerns lakhs of children in the state.

The lawyer also made serious allegations against the police, claiming that they had attacked the protesters during the confrontation and had even torn a Punjabi (turban) of one of the supporters. He gave a firm assurance to the court that his clients would cooperate fully with the ongoing investigation, requesting that bail be granted, subject to any conditions.

Initially, the court granted bail to all the accused on a personal bond of ₹500, which was later waived. After the bail was granted, jubilant supporters erupted in cheers outside the courtroom. Some supporters claimed that a "conspiracy to kill Bhaijaan" had been foiled by the people. They also said that while a few police officers had acted as "hooligans," not all police were bad. For now, the supporters have decided to remain peaceful and will announce their next steps later.