Deep Sidhu death: Police say they have identified truck driver, expect arrest soon

Rahul Sharma, Superintendent of Police (Sonipat), said, “Our team that inspected the scene of the accident found a partially consumed liquor bottle from the car. It is not yet known if Sidhu had consumed it… The viscera has been sent for chemical examination. His family has left for Ludhiana, where they will perform the last rites. They also met his co-passenger (Rai) at the hospital”.

“The driver has been identified and we are in the process of arresting him. We have registered a case on charges of rash and negligent driving causing death,” Sharma said.

Police said the truck was moving at the time of the incident and there were 25-30 metre long skid marks at the spot, apparently from Sidhu’s car. Police teams are reconstructing the scene and will submit a report to the district police chief.

Police have also recovered CCTV footage from a toll plaza on the KMP, which shows Sidhu’s vehicle at 7.15 pm.

“There were reports that the streetlights on the highway were non-functional at the time. We are checking with the Haryana State Industrial and Infrastructure Development Corporation (HSIIDC) to verify if there was a power cut in the area or some other reason,” Sharma said.

Asked if there was a possibility of foul play, he said, “Preliminary investigations so far indicate it was a case of an accident. There does not appear any foul play, as of now. Even his family has not raised any apprehensions of foul play. The driver of the truck, once arrested, will be thoroughly questioned.”

A day after the farmers’ protest on Republic Day last year, Delhi Police had registered 25 FIRs against farm union leaders and protesters for allegedly storming the Red Fort and vandalising property. One of the FIRs named Sidhu and gangster-turned-politician Lakhbir Sidhana for allegedly “orchestrating” the incident and “inciting” farmers. They were booked for rioting, criminal conspiracy, attempt to murder and robbery.

Senior police officers had claimed that video clips, posted on social media by protesters, showed Sidhu addressing the crowd on the route of the tractor march. He was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell on February 9 last year.

Sidhu was granted bail by a Delhi court in April, but was re-arrested by the Delhi Police Crime Branch from Tihar Jail for allegedly “damaging” Red Fort, in a case lodged on a complaint filed by the Archaeological Survey of India (ASI).

The Delhi Police, during his remand hearings, had claimed that Sidhu was “the main rioter and instigator” and was seen in a video, with “swords, sticks and flags during the violence on January 26”. It was also alleged that he “congratulated the person who hoisted the (Nishan Sahib) flag at Red Fort and also did a Facebook Live from the spot”.

In the bail order, the court observed that the prosecution had sought to make an example of Sidhu since he was popular, but this “hazards a failure of justice”, and his continued detention was an infringement of his right to life and liberty. The court granted him bail in the second case a few days later, terming the second arrest “vicious and sinister”. The court said it “amounts to playing fraud with the established criminal process”.

In a tweet hours after Sidhu’s death, Punjab Chief Minister Charanjit Singh Channi wrote: “Deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate demise of renowned actor and social activist, #DeepSidhu. My thoughts and prayers are with the bereaved family and fans.” On Wednesday, Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal tweeted: “Deeply saddened to learn about the unfortunate demise of Deep Siddhu. My sincerest condolences for his family and friends. God bless his soul.”