[Delhi Riots] "They were planning to jam whole Delhi": SPP Amit Prasad tells Delhi High Court

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Synopsis

Umar Khalid has challenged the lower court's order rejecting his bail application before the Delhi High Court on ground that there is no evidence linking him to the violence that erupted in Delhi during the riots. 

Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad informed the Delhi High Court toady that the accused in the Delhi riots conspiracy case were planning to jam the whole of Delhi. SPP Prasad referred to the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) WhatsApp Group chat.

A bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar said that the court is very keen to conclude these matters as in a bail appeal the hearing has been going on for more than a month now.

SPP Prasad made these submissions during the hearing in the bail plea of Umar Khalid in the larger conspiracy case pertaining to the Delhi Riots. 

Prasad, while referring to WhatsApp chats, submitted that when the accused persons were stopped from entering Delhi, they said that they are from Jamia and they'll jam the whole of Delhi.

Furthermore, Prasad referred to the supplementary charge sheet and stated that there was a meeting and a witness had given a statement and the same thing transpired in the incident.

SPP said that the witness informed that Khalid said in his speech that "most of the people from his area were from Bengal, and they should be informed about CAA-NRC and if some legal assistance was required, they'll provide the same". 

Prasad, reading from the speech quoted, "Hum wada karte hai, jab 24 ko Donald Trump Bharat ayenge tb hum batayenge k Hindustani sarkar or Hindustan ke Prime Minister desh ko batne ka kam karte hai or jab jab desh ko batne ka kaam kiya jayega Hindustan ki janta use jodne liye khadi rahegi." (We promise you, on 24th when Donald Trump will come to India, we'll tell him that the Indian Government and the Indian Prime Minster work towards dividing the Nation. Whenever an attempt to divide the nation will be made, citizens of India will stand for uniting it.)

The bench has listed the matter for further hearing on September 7, 2022.

Background:

On September 13, 2020, Umar Khalid was arrested in connection with communal clashes that broke out in northeast Delhi in February 2020, after violence between Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 supporters, and its protesters became out of control, leaving many people dead and several injured.

While denying Khalid bail, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat of Karkardooma Court found that Khalid's name is a "recurring mention" from the beginning of the conspiracy till the riots & that there are numerous statements of witnesses (recorded before the magistrate and before the police) highlighting "incriminating material" against the accused Umar Khalid.

Khalid has challenged the said order before the Delhi High Court on the ground that there is no evidence linking him to the violence that erupted in Delhi during the riots. 

Cause Title:- Umar Khalid Vs. State of NCT Delhi