Activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, who are in jail in connection with the larger conspiracy case in relation to the 2020 North East Delhi riots, told the Supreme Court on Friday that they did not make any calls for violence and were only exercising their right to peaceful protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
While Khalid told the Court that he was not even in Delhi when the riots took place, Imam said that he never made any calls for violence but only called for peaceful blockades."Petitioner was not even in Delhi when the riots took place. If I am not there, how can the riots be connected to it," Khalid's counsel said.
"I abhor violence. No calling out for violence at all. Only peaceful protests," Imam's lawyer submitted. Fatima too said that there was no evidence of any violence at the protests sites where she was present."The allegations against me is that I set up protest site. No act of violence at any of those sites. No documentary or oral evidence of anyone carrying chilli powder, acid etc at any of the sites where I was present," counsel for Fatima contended.
A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria was hearing bail pleas filed by Khalid, Imam, Fatima and three other accused in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. Delhi Police on Thursday while opposing bail to them contended they are playing victim cards in the matter. The hearing is yet conclude and will continue on November 3 at 10.30 am.
Khalid and others moved the top court against the Delhi High Court's September 2 order denying them bail. The top court had issued notice to the police on September 22.The riots occurred in February 2020 following clashes over the then-proposed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). As per the Delhi Police, the riots caused the death of 53 persons and injured hundreds.The present case pertains to allegations that the accused had hatched a larger conspiracy to cause multiple riots. The FIR in this case was registered by a Special Cell of the Delhi Police under various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the UAPA.
Most of the accused were booked in multiple FIRs, leading to multiple bail petitions before different courts. Most have been in custody since 2020.Khalid was arrested in September 2020 and charged with criminal conspiracy, rioting, unlawful assembly as well as several other offences under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).He has been in jail since then.
The trial court had first denied him bail in March 2022. He then approached the High Court, which also denied him relief in October 2022, prompting him to file an appeal before the top court.In May 2023, the Supreme Court sought the response of the Delhi Police in the matter. His plea before the top court was then adjourned 14 times.The Court had earlier pulled up the Delhi Police for failing to file its response to the bail pleas.Subsequently, the Delhi Police filed a 389-page affidavit detailing why the accused should not be granted bail.
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