Delhi riot case: Court extends judicial custody of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam till November 23

A Delhi Court on Friday extended the judicial custody of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) scholar Umar Khalid and research scholar Sharjeel Imam, till November 23, in connection with communal violence in North-East Delhi.

The duo was produced before the court from Tihar Jail through video conferencing.

Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat while extending the judicial custody also informed that Delhi Police is going to file a charge-sheet in the case in the next 1-2 days.

Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid were arrested by Delhi Police for their alleged role in the communal violence that took place in North-East Delhi in the month of February this year. Both are also booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) by the Special Cell of Delhi Police.

According to Delhi Police, the present case pertains to a multi-layered conspiracy and pre-planned riots in Delhi.

Police have submitted that on March 6, specific information was received in the Crime Branch that the communal riot during February 23-26, 2020 in Delhi were pre-planned and the same was hatched by one Umar Khalid a former student of JNU, and his associates, all linked with different-different groups.

"As per pre-planned conspiracy, the accused Umar Khalid gave provoking speeches at various places and appealed the Muslim minority community gathering to block roads and other public places during the visit of US President Donald Trump on February 24-25, so that propaganda may be flashed at an international platform that the Muslim minority in India are being tortured," the police said.

" In order to achieve these objectives, the firearms, petrol bombs, acid bottles, stones, slingshots, and other dangerous articles were procured at various places including Maujpur, Jafarabad, Chand Bagh, Gokalpuri and Shiv Vihar, in Delhi. On February 23 as per pre-planned conspiracy, the children and ladies were sent to block Jafarabad Metro Station to create tension and riots in the area," police continued.

It further said that consequently, upon a pre-planned conspiracy, on February 23-24, different groups started riots in various parts of North East and Shahdara Districts of Delhi causing the death of over 50 people, while hundreds of others were injured and huge loss of government, public and private properties occurred.

Police have registered over 750 cases related to the riots in different police stations of Shahdara and North-East districts of Delhi.

Over 250 charge-sheets have been filed in the riots related cases against 1153 accused (571 Hindus and 582 Muslims). All these cases are pending before the Special Courts constituted for the trial.

In February, violence took place in the northeast area of Delhi between groups supporting and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which led to the deaths of at least 53 people.

( With inputs from ANI )