Tibetans who barged into Chinese Embassy get bail

33 Tibetans who barged into the Chinese Embassy today furnished surety bonds of Rs 5000 each as a pre-condition for their release.

Thirty three Tibetans who barged into the Chinese Embassy in a high-security zone in New Delhi during protests against the Beijing Olympics were on Wednesday granted bail by a city court.

Metropolitan Magistrate Sanjay Bansal, allowing the bail applications of the Tibetan accused who were arrested on March 21, asked them to furnish personal and surety bonds of Rs 5,000 each as a pre-condition for release.

Waving the Tibetan flag and banners carrying anti-China messages such as ‘Boycott Beijing Olympics’, the accused had allegedly scaled the walls of the Embassy in Chanakyapuri area days before the arrival of the Olympic torch in the Capital. They had also raised slogans against the alleged Chinese crackdown on pro-independence protesters in Lhasa.

In their bail applications, filed through advocate V K Ohri, the accused claimed they had gone for peaceful demonstration outside the Embassy but were beaten up by police.

“The applicants were beaten up badly and later arrested by the police. They were implicated in the case,” their lawyer alleged.

The accused sought bail claiming they had no previous criminal history. The Delhi Police had registered an FIR against them for rioting, obstructing a public servant on duty and disobeying general orders for maintaining peace was lodged against them.