New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Friday strongly opposed the bail petitions of former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Umar Khalid and other accused in the alleged “larger conspiracy” case related to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. Police argued that the accused were invoking the Constitution merely to secure bail, while showing no real respect for its provisions.
Article 21 cited only for bail?
According to a report in The Hindu, appearing before a Supreme Court bench led by Justice Aravind Kumar, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju told the court, “These individuals have no genuine regard for the Constitution. They cite Article 21 only to seek bail.”
The police maintained that if the accused did not deliberately delay proceedings, the trial could be completed within two years. Khalid and others, however, argued that the police were responsible for unnecessary delays and that they had been in jail as undertrials for the past five years, seeking relief through bail. The police rejected this claim, alleging that the accused were intentionally prolonging the process to create a pretext for bail.
CCTV and video evidence presented for second consecutive day
On Friday, the police presented CCTV footage purportedly from northeast Delhi, showing crowds moving through the streets. This came a day after the court had viewed video clips of speeches by co-accused Sharjeel Imam.
The Hindu reported that police claimed Imam’s speeches were intended to incite people as part of a conspiracy to bring about regime change through violence, citing examples from Nepal and Bangladesh.
According to Raju, the riots were planned in advance, not spontaneous. Video evidence reportedly showed people gathering sticks and testing them as weapons, engaging in heavy stone-pelting, and throwing garbage to block streets. When asked whether these videos were part of the chargesheet, the police confirmed that they were.
The charges against the accused include conspiracy to incite violence, attempting to disrupt essential supplies in Delhi through blockades, causing economic distress, and allegedly plotting to “cut off Assam from India.”
Destruction of CCTV cameras — protected witnesses’ statements
Police also presented statements from protected witnesses. One witness, identified as “Radium,” told authorities that on February 23, 2020, the intensity of the violence did not meet the conspirators’ expectations and that they were concerned about CCTV cameras recording their activities. According to the witness, a meeting was held in which it was decided to destroy or disable the cameras.
Police records indicated that after the CCTVs were destroyed:
Large-scale violence broke out
A police constable was killed
Several officers were injured
An Intelligence Bureau officer was also killed.
Raju further stated that accused Shadab Ahmad — charged with the constable’s murder — had attended the meeting. Police alleged that other accused, including Tahir Hussain, Shifa Ur Rahman, Meeran Haider, Ishrat Jahan, and Khalid Saifi, provided financial support for the riots, described by authorities as “terror funding.”
Next hearing on Monday
The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing until Monday, when the petitioners’ lawyers are expected to respond to the police submissions.