Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam trying to ‘mislead court’ through bail pleas, claim Delhi Police

The Delhi Police has told the High Court that the bail petitions filed by activist Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 riots conspiracy case were “illegal” and an “attempt to mislead the court”, reported Bar and Bench on Wednesday.

The police also repeated its allegations that Khalid and Imam were the “masterminds” of the riots, reported Live Law.

Khalid, Imam and several other activists were arrested between January 2020 and September 2020 in connection with the communal violence that broke out in North East Delhi in February 2020 between supporters of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act and those opposing it. The violence had left 53 dead and hundreds injured. Most of those killed were Muslims.

Those accused in the matter have been charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, the Arms Act and sections of the Indian Penal Code.

The police have claimed that the violence was part of a larger conspiracy to defame the Narendra Modi government and was planned by those who organised the protests against the amended Citizenship Act.

The trial against Khalid and Imam is yet to begin.

This is the third round of bail pleas the activists have filed. On the first two occasions when they petitioned to get bail, their pleas were rejected right...

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