Activist Sharjeel Imam has moved the Supreme Court challenging a Delhi High Court order denying him bail in a case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots. The High Court had denied bail to several individuals, emphasizing that conspiratorial violence under the guise of protests cannot be allowed.
A Delhi court on Thursday denied bail to former JNU student Umar Khalid in a case of larger conspiracy in connection with Delhi riots during February 2020.
The Supreme Court has reaffirmed that bail is the general rule, even in cases registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), while granting bail to an accused in a narco-terror case.
The Supreme Court has denied bail to Umar Khalid in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, citing a prima facie case against him under the UAPA. Other activists were granted bail. Khalid's father expressed disappointment, while a friend shared Khalid's reaction.
Pathan had allegedly aimed a pistol at Delhi Police Head Constable Deepak Dahiya with an "intention to kill" him on February 24, 2020, as per the police.
Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala passed the order while directing that charges be framed against Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Tahir Hussain and 10 others in the case related to alleged rioting, vandalism and arson at a parking lot in February 2020.
The high court gave relief to accused Shoaib Alam, Gulfam and Javed, noting that they have been in custody for four years and the trial in the case is not likely to conclude any time soon.
The court said all the accused indulged in targeting Hindus and their acts were apparently prejudicial to the harmony between Muslims and Hindus.
Kalita pleaded that she needed the videos and chats to prove her innocence, but the Delhi police counsel contended that her petitions were not maintainable.
The matters were listed before a division bench headed by Justice Prathiba M Singh after a change in the roster of judges dealing with such cases.
The Supreme Court has refused to grant bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy matter, citing a prima facie case against them under the UAPA. However, bail was granted to other activists in the same case.
'Because, if someone remains an undertrial prisoner for five or seven years and is finally proven innocent, how will you compensate for the time lost?'
The Delhi police vehemently opposed the bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others in the February 2020 riots case, saying it had become a trend now for doctors and engineers to engage in anti-national activities. The police cited inflammatory speeches and violent protests as reasons for opposing bail.
The counsel pointed to two contradictions in Delhi Police's claims. Firstly, he showed the court a 21-minute video clip of Khalid's speech in Maharashtra, which the prosecution had allegedly labelled inflammatory.
'I am not able to restrain myself from observing that when history will look back at the worst communal riots since partition in Delhi, it is failure of investigating agency to conduct proper investigation by using latest scientific methods will surely torment the sentinels of democracy'
A Delhi assembly committee asked Facebook India on Thursday to furnish records of users' reports (complaints) on the content posted on the platform one month prior and two months after the northeast Delhi riots in February 2020.
'If the trial is not going on, if the charges have not been framed, it is obvious that he must be given bail. But he has been denied again.'
Senior Congress leader Prithviraj Chavan defends New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani's note for jailed activist Umar Khalid, emphasizing the importance of human rights.
A Delhi court has come down heavily on the police for its 'lackadaisical attitude' in probing the 2020 riots cases and asked the Police Commissioner to take appropriate action ensuring proper, expeditious investigation into them.
Student activists Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal and Asif Iqbal Tanha will remain in jail despite being granted bail by the high court here in the North East Delhi riots 'conspiracy' case as a lower court on Wednesday deferred its order on a plea for immediate release.
Activist Umar Khalid seeks bail in the UAPA case related to the 2020 Delhi riots, claiming lack of evidence and denying conspiracy charges. Other activists also argue for bail, citing delays and insufficient evidence.
The application alleged that the assistant superintendent of jail recently had entered his cell along with eight-ten people in the garb of a search, assaulted him and called him a terrorist and anti-national.
A court in New Delhi on Wednesday pulled up the police for 'apparent absurdity' in clubbing a man's complaint about alleged burning down of his house during the north-east Delhi riots last year with another one and later arresting him in the same matter -- making him both a complainant and the accused.
A trial judge, who has been critical of the "callous and farcical" probe of Delhi police in some riots cases of 2020 and had once observed that failure to conduct a proper investigation will torment "sentinels of democracy," was on Wednesday transferred to another court in the national capital.
"This is a very sorry state of affairs," Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Yadav said, seeking a report from the Deputy Commissioner of Police (northeast) in this regard.
I congratulate Delhi Police for its investigation of northeast Delhi riots, the HM said.
It said as and when the protestors tried to infringe the law and failed to obey directions of enforcement agencies, appropriate legal action was taken against the miscreants.
'If you look through the optics of BJP leader Kapil Mishra, he was standing with a deputy commissioner of police while giving a hate speech.' 'Immediately, the message goes down that the police is 'with us' so let's start rioting.'
The court also listed for hearing on November 18 bail pleas by other co-accused in the matter, including Khalid Saifi and Meeran Haider.
US lawmakers have written to the Indian Ambassador to the US, expressing concern over the prolonged detention of activist Umar Khalid and urging a fair trial in accordance with international law.
Emphasising that the plea has been heard substantially, Aggarwal said the application "calls for strictest handling" as it has been filed with an "ulterior motive".
A group of US lawmakers has written to the Indian Ambassador to the United States, urging a fair and timely trial for activist Umar Khalid, who has been detained under the UAPA.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) has sought a first information report (FIR) after students allegedly raised 'provocative' slogans against Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union home minister Amit Shah inside the university campus during an event on Monday night, varsity officials said.
The Delhi high court on Tuesday refused to grant bail to former Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid in a Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case related to alleged conspiracy behind the riots here in February 2020.
A court in Delhi has acquitted two accused in a 2020 northeast Delhi riots case, saying the possibility of the only eyewitness being a "fictitious person" cannot be ruled out.
India on Thursday hit out at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation for its statement on the Delhi violence, saying the comments are factually inaccurate and misleading. Ministry of external affairs spokesperson Raveesh Kumar also urged bodies like the OIC not to make irresponsible statements at this sensitive time.
In a joint memorandum, the leaders raised their concerns over the probe into the riots being conducted by the Delhi Police. The Delhi Police has set up Special Investigation Teams (SIT) and its Special Cell is also probing the aspect of conspiracy behind the Delhi riots in which 53 people lost their lives.
Additional sessions judge Pulastya Pramachala was hearing two cases against Mithhan Singh and his son Jony Kumar who were convicted of various offences, including those under IPC Sections 147 (rioting) and 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house, etc.)
A Delhi court has ordered the police to investigate whether a deliberate attempt was made to shield five men who were discharged in a February 2020 riots case due to the lack of sufficient evidence.
Shahrukh Pathan, who had allegedly pointed a gun at a Delhi Police Head Constable during the 2020 communal riots, on Monday moved a court here seeking discharge from all the offences in the case.
