TOI

New Delhi, Mar 20: In a much relief to Varun Gandhi, Delhi High Court restrained police from arresting the BJP candidate from Pilibhit for making alleged inflammatory and communal speeches during his campaign.

The high court on Friday granted anticipatory bail to Varun Gandhi till March 27.

Varun has got bail on a personal bond of Rs 50,000.

Earlier on Friday morning, Varun's lawyers visited Election Commission’s office to submit his reply on making communal statements.
Varun was not physically present at the time of filing the reply. The reply was filed before the Election Commission by his lawyers.

In his reply to the EC, Varun Gandhi maintained that the CD is doctored, according to sources.

Varun had time till 11:00am today to file his reply to the EC, as the 48-hour deadline set by the EC to issue a reply to the charges of making communal statements comes to an end.

Officials from Uttar Pradesh on Friday visited the residence of BJP Lok Sabha candidate Varun Gandhi and handed over a copy of the CD containing his hate speech in Pilibhit, PTI reported.

The officials, who were accompanied by a team from Delhi Police, handed over the CD at the residence of his mother and former union minister Maneka Gandhi here, where 29-year-old Varun stays.

The UP officials told reporters that they were on poll duty, but declined to give any details.

The Delhi Police team, however, did not enter the residential premises.

Varun's office, when contacted, said the officials had come to hand over a CD to the BJP candidate.

Varun had on Thursday moved the Delhi High Court seeking anticipatory bail.

Sources in the UP police said the onus of challenging the contents of the CD lay on Varun.

A K Mishra, a Tehsildar rank officer of the UP Government, led a two-member team to Gandhi's residence.

"We have come here in connection with the CD case. We have handed over a copy of the CD," Mishra said. The team was at Gandhi's residence for half-an-hour.