New Delhi: The Delhi government has given approval to withdraw 17 cases, including one related to violence on Republic Day last year, that were registered by the police during the farm law protests, PTI reported.
A senior government official said the file related to the cases forwarded by Lt Governor Anil Baijal's Office to Home Minister Satyendar Jain was approved by him on Monday after the legal department's view was sought, PTI reported.
The Delhi Police had identified 17 cases for withdrawal out of 54 registered between November 2020 and December 2021.
One of the cases is related to about 200-300 protesters and 25 tractors reaching the Red Fort and entering its premises on January 26. The incident resulted in damage to ticket counters, doorframe metal detector and baggage scanners at the monument.
Another case was filed at the Jyoti Nagar Police Station in northeast Delhi against protesting farmers who entered Delhi from the Loni border with Uttar Pradesh, riding 150-175 tractors and reportedly blocking and assaulting police officers.
Most of the cases were registered against the protesters for violation of Covid-19 protocols and guidelines during the over one-year-long farm law protests at Singhu, Tikri and Ghazipur borders of Delhi.
The protesters, mostly from Punjab and Haryana, camped at Delhi borders in November 2020 demanding the Centre to withdraw the agricultural reform laws. The protest ended in December 2021, with the Modi government withdrawing the farm laws.
The Centre had also agreed to the demand of the agitating farmers for the withdrawal of the cases registered against the protesters between November 2020 to December 2021.
The protesting farmers, in convoys of tractors, had entered the national capital on Republic Day last year leading to violence and vandalism on the roads as well as the Red Fort.
(With PTI Inputs)