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New Delhi, Nov 18 (IANS) The Supreme Court on Tuesday resumed hearing on the bail plea of student leaders Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima and other activists accused of an alleged “larger conspiracy” behind the 2020 North East Delhi riots.
They are behind bars under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Opposing the bail pleas, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Delhi Police, told a bench of Justices Arvind Kumar and NV Anjaria that the violence was a “well-designed, well-planned” attack on national sovereignty and not a spontaneous communal clash.
SG Mehta said, “His 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, pre-planned, choreographed riots and this will come out from the evidence collected.”
Mehta said, “This was not a spontaneous act of violence; it was an attack against the sovereignty of the nation – I say this with a sense of responsibility.” He claimed that the evidence, including speeches and WhatsApp chats, revealed a “clear and obvious attempt to divide the society on communal lines”.
Specifically referring to the alleged statements of accused Sharjeel Imam, the Centre’s counsel said, “He (Sharjeel Imam) says that it is my heartfelt desire that there should be Chakka Jam not only in Delhi but in every city where Muslims live.”
SG Mehta further quoted Imam as saying, “He says that Muslims should unite and separate the entire Northeast from the country. He says that the real goal was that Delhi should not get milk or water. This was not a protest as is being reported!
He also sought to rely on WhatsApp chats recovered by Delhi Police which allegedly show “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.”
SG Mehta argued that the accused were responsible for the delay in the trial proceedings as they were “not cooperating” and “each of them argued for 4-5 days to oppose framing of charges”. SG Mehta said, “Now in all those cases where it is difficult to defend on facts, the mechanism is to delay the trial and not go into the merits and say ‘give me bail’. This has become a pattern.”
Delhi Police, in its detailed counter affidavit, had already described Umar Khalid as one of the “key conspirators” and a “mentor” to others, including Sharjeel Imam, and said the conspiracy was pre-planned to coincide with US President Donald Trump’s official visit to India to attract “international media” attention.
Earlier, Delhi High Court had rejected the bail plea of the workers.
The Supreme Court will continue to hear Delhi Police’s arguments on the bail plea of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others on November 20.
–IANS
PDS/UK