[Delhi Riots 2020] "Differentiate Sharjeel Imam's Role from Previously Granted Bail Accused": High Court asks Police to submit Chart

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Synopsis

Asif Iqbal Tanha, Devangana Kalita, and Natasha Narwal were granted bail in June 2021, with the Supreme Court emphasizing that the order should not serve as a precedent due to its case-specific nature

The Delhi High Court has directed the Delhi Police to provide a chart distinguishing the role of Sharjeel Imam from that of previously granted bail accused persons in the 2020 Delhi Riots conspiracy case.

Asif Iqbal Tanha, Devangana Kalita, and Natasha Narwal were granted bail in June 2021, with the Supreme Court emphasizing that the order should not serve as a precedent due to its case-specific nature.

A division bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain was hearing Imam's bail plea and instructed both Imam's counsel and Delhi Police to submit written submissions. The case is scheduled for further proceedings on February 19, 2024.

Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad, appearing for Delhi Police, highlighted that the Supreme Court's dismissal of Delhi Police's appeal against the bail order for Tanha, Kalita, and Narwal placed the onus on Imam to present his case on merits.

It is the prosecution's case that Imam played a key conspiratorial role in the 2020 Delhi riots, alleging that he conspired with others to orchestrate violence using protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) as a guise.

The bail plea is being reheard by Justice Kait after Justice Siddharth Mridul, who initially presided over the case, was appointed as the Chief Justice of the Manipur High Court.

Case Title: Sharjeel Imam v. The State of NCT of Delhi