A Delhi court will hear on Tuesday the issue of taking cognizance of the supplementary chargesheet filed against former JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in a riots case.
Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat said the court will also decide on Tuesday whether to pass an order to supply a copy of the supplementary chargesheet to the accused in the wake of a recent order of the High Court staying trial in the matter.
The High Court had earlier this month stayed the trial of 15 accused, including Khalid, Imam, and Pinjra Tod activists Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The court’s decision came on plea of the police challenging a trial court’s order directing the agency to provide hard copies of the chargesheet to the 15 accused.
The police argued for providing a soft copy as related documents, including statement of witnesses, ran into over 20,000 pages.
‘Can provide soft copies’
Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad, appearing for the police, said he was willing to supply soft copies of the supplementary chargesheet to the accused but the orders have to come from the court.
Those who have been charge sheeted under the stringent UAPA Act include Ms Narwal and Ms Kalita, former Congress councillor from Jagatpuri Ms. Ishrat Jahan, Jamia Coordination Committee media coordinator Safoora Zargar, student activist Gulfisha Khatoon, and social activist Khalid Saifi.
The list also include activist Meeran Haider, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) student Asif Iqbal Tanha, former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, former Jamia student Shifa-Ur-Rahman, and five others - Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd. Saleem Khan and Athar Khan.
