SC to hear bail pleas in Delhi riots conspiracy case today
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court will resume hearing on Monday the bail pleas of student leaders Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima and others accused in the alleged “larger conspiracy” behind the 2020 North East Delhi riots. All remain in custody under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
According to the apex court’s causelist, a Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria will continue hearing submissions from co-accused Meeran Haider, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, and the Delhi Police.
During an earlier hearing, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Umar Khalid, argued that the prosecution had delayed the trial and was now attempting to shift blame. He noted that Khalid was named in only one of the 751 FIRs related to the riots and was not present in Delhi when the violence occurred. Sibal also pointed out that no incriminating material was recovered from Khalid and that his actions did not meet the definition of a “terrorist act” under UAPA. He cited bail orders granted to co-accused Asif Iqbal Tanha, Devangana Kalita, and Natasha Narwal.
For Sharjeel Imam, senior advocate Siddharth Dave highlighted that the investigation took over three years, with supplementary chargesheets filed until September 2024. He argued that Imam had been in custody since January 25, 2020, nearly a month before the riots, and that his speeches in December 2019 did not incite violence. “I called for chakka jams (blockades) as part of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA. There was no call for violence at all,” Dave told the Bench.
Appearing for Gulfisha Fatima, senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the only allegation against her was setting up a protest site. “No act of violence occurred at those sites. There is no oral or documentary evidence showing that any violent material was present where I was,” he submitted.
The Delhi High Court had earlier dismissed the bail pleas of Khalid, Imam and several others in the same case.
(Inputs from IANS)