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New Delhi, Nov 24 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Monday will continue hearing the bail pleas of student leaders Sharjeel Imam, Omar Khalid, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima and Shifa-ur-Rehman, all accused under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the alleged “larger conspiracy” behind the 2020 North East Delhi riots.
According to the cause list published on the apex court website, a bench of Justices Arvind Kumar and NV Anjaria will continue to hear the arguments of Delhi Police opposing the bail.
In an earlier hearing, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Delhi Police, had said the 2020 violence was not a spontaneous communal clash but a “well-designed, well-prepared” attack on national sovereignty.
SG Mehta said, “Your Excellency was told that there was a protest and it resulted in communal riots. First of all, I would like the myth to be busted. This was not a spontaneous riot but well-designed, well-prepared, well-planned, pre-planned, choreographed riots and this will come out from the evidence collected.”
Specifically referring to Sharjeel Imam’s alleged statements, the Centre’s law officer had told the apex court: ‘He (Imam) says that it is his heartfelt desire that there should be chakka jam in every city where Muslims live.’
SG Mehta also sought to rely on WhatsApp chats recovered by Delhi Police which allegedly showed “how to damage property, how to collect money”, adding that it was a “systematic and coordinated effort to divide the society and divide the nation”.
On Thursday, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju, appearing for Delhi Police, presented visuals of the 2020 riots along with video clips of Sharjeel Imam’s speeches before the top court.
ASG Raju submitted that the material revealed during the investigation shows a “clear, deliberate and coordinated” attempt to incite unrest. Delhi Police, in its counter affidavit, has described Umar Khalid as the “key conspirator” and a “mentor” to others, including Imam, and alleged that the conspiracy was pre-planned to coincide with the official visit of US President Donald Trump.
“This was done to attract ‘International Media’ attention and make the CAA issue a global issue by portraying it as a genocide of the Muslim community in India. The CAA issue was carefully chosen to work as a ‘radicalisation catalyst’ by hiding it in the name of ‘peaceful protest’,” the affidavit said.
Earlier, Delhi High Court had rejected the bail plea of all the accused.
–IANS
PDS/PGH