The Delhi Police has prepared an exhaustive affidavit to be filed in the Supreme Court opposing bail for Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, and others accused in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case.
The police have alleged that the violence was part of a planned “regime-change operation” rather than a spontaneous outburst.
According to the affidavit, the riots were a “carefully orchestrated conspiracy” aimed at disturbing peace, damaging India’s global image, and undermining the country’s sovereignty.
The police said they have gathered witness statements, documents, and technical evidence linking the accused to what they describe as a “deep-rooted conspiracy engineered on communal lines.”
This development comes after the Delhi High Court denied bail to Khalid and others under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the 2020 violence.
The police maintain that the accused sought to weaponise dissent against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) to destabilise the government.
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In their affidavit, the police said the violence was not a sudden reaction but was deliberately timed to coincide with then-US President Donald Trump’s visit to India, to attract international attention and portray the nation negatively.
The CAA protests, the police claim, were “carefully chosen to serve as a radicalising catalyst camouflaged as a peaceful protest.”
The affidavit further accuses the petitioners, including Khalid, Imam, Haider, and Fatima of intentionally delaying trial proceedings by filing what the police described as “frivolous applications” and engaging in “coordinated non-cooperation.”
The police alleged that these actions amounted to a “brazen abuse of process” intended to obstruct the lower court from framing charges and commencing trial.
According to the police, the delay in the proceedings is the result of the accused’s tactics, not of investigative lapses.
Citing the stringent provisions of the UAPA, the police stated that “jail, not bail, is the rule” in such terror-linked cases, arguing that the gravity of the offences outweighs any argument for release based on prolonged custody.
Officials have also rejected claims that the witness list is excessively long, clarifying that only about 100 to 150 witnesses are material to the case. They asserted that the trial could conclude swiftly if the accused cooperated.
The affidavit also cites electronic communications, including chat messages referencing Donald Trump’s visit, to support the claim that the riots were premeditated and timed to coincide with the high-profile diplomatic event.
This, according to the police, was intended to “internationalise” the CAA issue by portraying it as targeted discrimination against Muslims.
The police further claimed that the conspiracy led to the deaths of 53 people and caused large-scale destruction of property. Over 750 FIRs were registered across Delhi following the violence.
Authorities believe the materials on record point to efforts to replicate the unrest in other parts of the country, suggesting a wider, coordinated attempt at mobilisation.
The Delhi Police’s affidavit, expected to be filed before the Supreme Court shortly, marks one of the most detailed official claims yet about the alleged motives and organisation behind the 2020 Delhi riots.
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