Delhi Police oppose bail plea of 2020 riots accused: Protests weren’t organic

The Delhi Police opposed bail pleas filed by several accused in the 2020 North-East Delhi riots case, including Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, during a hearing in the Delhi High Court on Wednesday.

Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad argued that the Shaheen Bagh protest lacked local support and was orchestrated by bringing people from other areas. He claimed that the protest sites were created under a planned conspiracy and were presented as organic demonstrations. Prasad further contended that the Shaheen Bagh protest, often referred to as a “Dadi-Nani protest,” was artificially constructed to create public perception.

The police cited chats involving Sharjeel Imam and Asif Mujtaba, alleging that the protests were masterminded by them. They claimed there was sufficient evidence to suggest the protests were not organic.

During the hearing, the court questioned whether organising a protest site could justify charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against individuals. The court also asked the police to prepare a chart indicating the connection between each accused person and their involvement in specific WhatsApp groups.

The hearing is set to continue on Thursday.