Apex court notice to Ramdev's Trust

The Supreme Court issued notice to Baba Ramdev-run Bharat Swabhiman Trust on Monday asking it to reply to the claim of the Delhi police that teargas shells were used on the yoga guru's supporters at Ramlila Maidan only after the crowd turned violent. The apex court, which had taken suo motu note of the incident, also directed the Centre to file its reply because the police had denied any use of force, but justified the crackdown at Ramlila Maidan on the intervening night of June 4 and 5 by showing inputs by intelligence agencies that said the yoga guru's life was under threat. The police had claimed that though the assembly was permitted only for conducting a yoga camp and for a gathering of 5,000 people, the venue was used for a fast where around 65,000 people came together. During the fast, the yoga guru also instigated the crowd regarding the issue of blackmoney, the police alleged. The matter will be heard again on July 11.