Delhi Police Oppose Bail Pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam in 2020 Delhi Riots UAPA Case
Delhi Police alleged in the Supreme Court that Umar Khalid was the chief conspirator and mentor to Sharjeel Imam in orchestrating the first phase of the 2020 Delhi riots. The police claimed the riots were a premeditated conspiracy to destabilize the state and opposed bail pleas, accusing the accused of playing a victim card and deliberately delaying the trial. The case involves coordinated plans and evidence from WhatsApp chats and meetings detailing the violent strategy.
The Delhi Police, in an affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, strongly opposed the bail applications of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and others accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots. The police alleged that the riots were not spontaneous but part of a deep-rooted, pre-planned conspiracy aimed at destabilizing the country. Umar Khalid was described as the chief conspirator who mentored Sharjeel Imam in planning the first phase of the violence from December 13 to 20, 2019. The police cited electronic evidence including WhatsApp chats from groups such as ‘Muslim Students of JNU’ and coordinated communications among accused to establish a deliberate strategy for instigating communal violence. The affidavit further accused Khalid of orchestrating disruptive protests using tactics like 'chakka jaam' to provoke large-scale communal riots targeting police and non-Muslims. The police also implicated activists Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Natasha Narwal, and Devangana Kalita in converting peaceful sit-ins into violent demonstrations and stockpiling weapons. The police rejected the plea that prolonged incarceration justified bail, calling it a manipulative ploy given the severity of the offenses and the accused’s conduct. The case is scheduled for hearing before a Supreme Court bench. These proceedings reflect allegations of a larger conspiracy designed to attack India's sovereignty during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and to attract international attention, particularly timed with former US President Donald Trump's visit to India.
