Togadia gets breather, bail with a rider

Ajmer’s district and sessions judge Hari Singh Puniya took all morning to deliberate on the matter before finally granting the bail.

In his order, Puniya said while the charges against Togadia were grave and carried a maximum penalty of life imprisonment, he was entitled to bail.

Puniya added that he wasn’t convinced Togadia would not go back to making provocative speeches after he was released and in his order has warned of consequences if he does.

‘‘Besides the bail amount, the court has instructed my client to be present at all future hearings and also instructed him not to repeat the speeches or distribute trishuls. We will have to see about that,’’ said Togadia’s counsel and former BJP Member of Parliament Onkar Singh Lakhawat.

The court order came a day after at least 12 people were injured in Bali when trident-carrying youth clashed with policemen following a dharamsabha on Sunday. While all establishments in Bali were closed today, strict vigil was maintained in Ajmer while the court’s decision was awaited.

In the speech that prompted his arrest, besides his usual ramblings about a Hindu nation, Togadia had also taken on Ashok Gehlot’s government for its recent ban on the trishul.

‘‘Rajasthan mein trishul rahega ya to jehad rahegi (In Rajasthan there will either be the trishul or jehad),’’ he had told the gathering. The Rajasthan government issued a notification on April 8, regulating the ‘‘distribution, acquisition, possession or carrying of double or multi-bladed sharp or pointed weapons.’’

The notification came after official figures indicated a sharp rise in trishul distribution programmes this year.