Delhi riots ‘larger conspiracy’ case: SC to deliver verdict on bail pleas of accused on Jan 5

New Delhi, Jan 3 (IANS) The Supreme Court will on Monday pronounce its decision on the bail pleas of seven accused, including student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, in the alleged “larger conspiracy” case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots.

As per the causelist published on the website of the Apex Court, a Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B. Varale will deliver the judgment on January 5.

The bail pleas have been filed by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Shadab Ahmed, and Mohd.

Saleem Khan, facing charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), has been in custody for more than five years.

Earlier, on December 10, the Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on the batch of special leave petitions (SLPs) challenging the Delhi High Court’s refusal to grant bail to the accused in the 2020 riots “larger conspiracy” case.

After hearing both sides, the Justice Kumar-led Bench directed the petitioners as well as the prosecution to file any additional documents in support of their submissions by December 18.

Opposing the bail pleas, Solicitor General (SG) Tushar Mehta, appearing for the Delhi Police, had contended that the violence was not a spontaneous communal clash but a “well-designed, well-crafted, orchestrated and preplanned” attack on the sovereignty of the nation.

“This was not a spontaneous act of violence; this was an attack against the sovereignty of the nation,” the SG had argued, relying on speeches, WhatsApp chats and other material to claim a “clear and discernible attempt to divide the society on communal lines”.

He had argued that the delay in the trial proceedings was attributable to the accused since they were “not cooperating” and “each of them argued for 4-5 days for opposing framing of charges”.

“Now, in all cases where it’s difficult to defend on facts, the mechanism is to delay the trial and not to go into the merits and say ‘give me bail’. This has become a pattern,” SG Mehta added.

Earlier, on September 2, last year, the Delhi High Court had dismissed the bail pleas of Khalid, Imam and several other accused in the case, observing that a prima facie case under the UAPA was made out against them.

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