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New Delhi, Nov 17 (IANS) The Supreme Court will resume hearing on Tuesday 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).
According to the cause list published on the apex court website, a bench of Justices Arvind Kumar and NV Anjaria will hear the arguments of law officers representing Delhi Police on November 18.
Opposing the bail plea of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, Delhi Police, in a detailed counter affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, said that the two student activists had pre-planned and carefully coordinated the conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots.
Citing chats, witness statements and call records related to his activities since December 2019, the affidavit describes Umar Khalid as one of the “key conspirators” and a “mentor” to others, including Sharjeel Imam, for organizing students, building protest networks and allegedly selecting violent protest sites.
According to Delhi Police, this conspiracy was pre-planned at a time when US President Donald Trump was about to visit India on an official visit.
“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.
It called Sharjeel Imam “a top conspirator under the patronage of Umar Khalid” and said he had masterminded the first phase of the Delhi riots between December 13 and December 20, 2019.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had rejected the bail pleas of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and several other accused in the “larger conspiracy” case of the 2020 city riots.
–IANS
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