Case over 2024 protest outside ECI: Delhi Court grants bail to Derek O'Brien, other TMC leaders

Delhi court grants bail to 10 TMC leaders, including Derek O'Brien, in protest case against Election Commission.

A Delhi Court on Tuesday (May 13, 2025) granted bail to 10 All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) leaders, including Derek O'Brien, Sagarika Ghose and Saket Gokhale, in a case registered against them for their protest in April last year in front of the Election Commission of India (ECI) despite a prohibitory order being in place.

Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Neha Mittal also granted relief to TMC leaders Santanu Sen, Dola Sen, Nadimul Haque, Vivek Gupta, Arpita Ghosh, Abir Ranjan Biswas and Sudip Raha, on an application moved by their lawyer.

While nine TMC leaders were physically present before the Court, Vivek Gupta appeared through video conferencing.

The Court has granted bail to five of the leaders, who are sitting MPs, on a personal bond of ₹10,000 each. The rest were granted bail on a personal bond of ₹10,000 along with a surety of like amount.

While granting bail, the Judge noted that the charge sheet was filed without the arrest of the accused persons. The Court has listed the matter for further hearing on May 21.

According to the Delhi Police, TMC leaders accused in the case gathered outside the main gate of the Election Commission of India (ECI) on April 8 last year and held a protest with placards and banners without requisite permission and despite Section 144 (prohibit gathering) of the Code of Criminal Procedure being in place.

Police alleged they continued to protest despite being informed about the prohibitory orders, following which an FIR was registered.