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The High Court on Tuesday asked the Delhi police to share evidence against ‘United Against Hate’ founder Khalid Saifi in an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case related to the alleged conspiracy behind the 2020 north-east Delhi riots.
“Point out the case — the clinching material against him. What is his role? In what manner did he conspire? How was he part of the conspiracy?” the court, which was hearing Mr. Saifi’s plea seeking bail in the UAPA case, told the Delhi police counsel.
“The court is not sitting for a story,” it remarked while posting the case for further hearing on February 12.
Mr. Saifi and several others were booked under UAPA and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the “masterminds” of the February 2020 riots in north-east Delhi that left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.
Special public prosecutor Amit Prasad on Tuesday told the court that before the communal violence broke out in February 2020, several people, including the UAH founder, student activists Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, and others hatched a conspiracy to hold “disruptive chakka jams” and spread violence.
Mr. Prasad relied on messages exchanged on certain WhatsApp groups and urged the court also to consider the allegedly provocative speeches delivered by Mr. Imam.
Senior advocate Rebecca John, appearing for Mr. Saifi, said three accused – Asif Iqbal Tanha, Ms. Kalita and Ms. Narwal – who have been charged with more serious crimes have already been granted bail by the High Court.
Ms. John said her client, who admitted to running a protest site in Khajuri Khas, has been in custody for four years and charges have not been framed in the trial court and that he was a victim of custodial torture.
