Patiala House Court violence: Lawyer Vikram Chauhan released within hours of arrest

Lawyer Vikram Chauhan, who was caught on camera beating up journalists outside Patiala High Court over JNU controversy and later admitted that he also thrashed JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, was arrested and later released on bail by Delhi Police on Wednesday.

New Delhi: Lawyer Vikram Chauhan, who was caught on camera beating up journalists outside Patiala House Court over JNU controversy and later admitted that he also thrashed JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar, was arrested and later released on bail by Delhi Police on Wednesday.

Chauhan was caught twice on camera – first while beating up the journalists at Patiala House Court and later while boasting about hitting JNUSU president Kanhaiya Kumar in a sting operation done by India Today.

While speaking to ANI, Chauhan said, "There is absolutely no pressure on me. I am common man and I do not represent anyone. The media is trying to portray me as a goon. I am an Indian and if praising Mother India and saying 'Vande Matram' makes me a goon then so be it. Yes there are allegations against me but I'm sure I will be vindicated.”

Chauhan was booked on charges of rioting, unlawful assembly and causing hurt pertaining to two separate cases.

"While one case against Chauhan pertains to the February 15 incident, the other relates to the violence on February 17," a senior police official said.

Chauhan was caught on camera leading a group of lawyers in mounting the assaults on two occasions -- February 15 and 17 -- at the Patiala House court complex, triggering widespread outrage.

The lawyer appeared before the police, six days after he was served summons in connection with the violence in the court complex. There have been angry protests over alleged police inaction against the lawyer though he was the most prominent among the lawyers involved in unleashing violence at the court complex on two occasions.

In the video, he was purportedly heard saying "we bashed him (Kumar) for three hours. He wet his pants. We beat him up so much."

Groups of lawyers, led by Chauhan, had thrashed journalists and JNU students and teachers on February 15 and repeated their act on February 17 against Kumar and some journalists, in open defiance of the Supreme Court instructions.

Yashpal Singh, one of Chauhan's colleagues who was also caught on camera thrashing journalists and JNU teachers and students, was arrested last night and released on bail immediately. 

(With Agency inputs)