A Delhi court has started hearing a case filed under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) against Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and several others in connection with the North East Delhi Riots of 2020. These riots occurred amidst protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The case is being heard by Special Judge Amitabh Rawat at the Karkardooma court in Delhi on a day-to-day basis.
Apart from Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, other individuals involved in the case include activist Khalid Saifi, JNU students Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, Jamia Coordination Committee members Safoora Zargar, former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, and several others. The violence during the 2020 riots resulted in the loss of lives of 53 people and left over 700 individuals injured.
Over the past three years, there have been several developments in the case, including multiple arrests and the filing of chargesheets. The Delhi Police had registered a conspiracy case against numerous individuals under the stringent anti-terror law due to the 751 FIRs filed in connection with the violence. While most of the accused have filed bail pleas over the past three years, only six individuals are currently out on bail.
Earlier this month, the Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of a bail plea filed by Umar Khalid. He had approached the Supreme Court to challenge a Delhi High Court verdict from October 2022 that had denied him bail.
Meanwhile, the Karkardooma court reserved its order on a bail application filed by Sharjeel Imam until September 25. The defense argued that he had already served half of the maximum punishment prescribed for the offense.
Tahir Hussain, a former MCD councillor, was granted bail in a case related to the North East Delhi riots last week due to changed circumstances. The Delhi High Court had previously granted him bail in five riot cases on July 12. However, he remains incarcerated as he is accused in other rioting cases, including one lodged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
Accused Individuals in the Case:
- Umar Khalid
- Sharjeel Imam
- Khalid Saifi
- Meeran Haider
- Tahir Hussain
- Gulfisha
- Shifa-ur-rehman
- Shadab Ahmed
- Tasleem Ahmed
- Saleem Malik
- Mohd Saleem Khan
- Athar Khan
- Ishrat Jahan (on bail)
- Asif Iqbal Tanha (on bail)
- Safoora Zargar (on bail)
- Natasha Narwal (on bail)
- Devangana Kalita (on bail)
- Faizan Khan (on bail)
