The anti-CAA protests aimed at a regime change like that of Bangladesh and Nepal, the Delhi Police told the Supreme Court on Friday, opposing the bail plea of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, and others involved in the case of the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots.
Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the Delhi Police, told a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria that the Northeast Delhi riots, which claimed the lives of at least 53 individuals, were the result of a conspiracy involving the accused, namely Tahir Hussain, Shifa Ur Rahman, Meeran Haider, Khalid Saifi, and Ishrat Jahan. They allegedly financed the violence.
“This is a clear case where offenses under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), 1967, are attracted. A conspiracy to commit terrorist acts and murder is made out. And it was not a simple dharna for CAA; it was for regime change. All those who went for the dharna carried sticks, acid bottles, and it coincided with Donald Trump’s visit — they wanted regime change like in Bangladesh and Nepal. They have scant regard for the Constitution,” Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S. V. Raju, appearing for the Delhi Police, said this to a bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and N. V. Anjaria.
“A police constable was killed, and other police personnel were injured in the attack following a large-scale mobilization. In the ensuing riots, an Intelligence Bureau officer was killed,” he said.
The petitioners moved to the Supreme Court to challenge the order passed by the Delhi High Court, which rejected their bail in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the February 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. The accused were booked for “masterminding” the riots, which erupted during the Anti-CAA protest.
Those whose bail pleas were rejected by the Delhi High Court include Khalid, Imam, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shadab Ahmed.
