Latest news with #SharjeelImam
Indian Express
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
2020 Delhi Riots Larger Conspiracy Case: Order on bail pleas of Umar Khalid, 7 others reserved
Two benches of the Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved orders on bail pleas of eight accused in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, even as the Delhi Police argued that 'if you are doing something against the nation, you better be in jail till you are acquitted or convicted'. A bench of Justices Naveen Chawla and Shalinder Kaur reserved the bail pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa ur Rehman, Athar Khan and Khalid Saifi while another bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar reserved the bail plea of Tasleem Ahmed. The bench of Justices Chawla and Kaur will hear Shadab Ahmad's bail plea on Thursday. Notably, Saifi, Fatima, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shifa ur Rehman had completed arguments for bail twice earlier before two HC benches. However, the judges, after being appointed as Chief Justices of other HCs, did not deliver their verdict. This comes a day after a HC bench had orally remarked, 'for how long can a person be kept in jail', while hearing a plea by Tasleem Ahmed, who was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell in June 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The HC had noted that 'five years have gone by', and yet the arguments on the charge remain to be completed. Further, CJI B R Gavai, delivering a lecture on July 6, had said, 'In the recent past, this principle (of bail is the rule and jail is the exception) was somewhat forgotten. I am happy to state that I had the opportunity in the last year, 2024, to reiterate this legal principle in the cases of Prabir Purkayastha, Manish Sisodia, and Kavita vs ED.' On Wednesday, arguing against the bail pleas, the Delhi Police – represented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta – told the bench of Justices Chawla and Kaur: 'Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam were preparing to divide the nation, cutting the nation on the basis of religion… They are all acting in concert, Gufisha, Umar, everyone – they are in touch with each other by the WhatsApp group and conspiracy is taking place…' 'In cases involving anti-national activities, long incarceration is not a factor. This is an attack on the sovereignty of the country. By attacking the National Capital, it would have an effect on the entire country. If you are doing something against the nation, you better be in jail till you are acquitted or convicted… Long incarceration is certainly a ground (for bail) but not in such matters where you are ensuring that the country bleeds violence and wanting to break the country in two parts.' Mehta further said, 'I want to show what the intellectuals are doing, dividing the nation on religious lines. Imam had delivered a speech indicating a four-week timeline for executing (the conspiracy)… They (petitioners) showed a narrative that intellectual are in jail. Their intention was to divide the nation on religious lines. This is not a spontaneous riot… The intention was to cause national embarrassment at global level. 24 February 2020 was the day of US President visit… There was clear unambiguous intention of putting entire nation to shame by doing something in the National Capital…' The police probe in the case was 'one of the finest investigations' which had been carried out, he added. The accused are facing allegations of pre-planned conspiracy to allegedly cause riots in East Delhi between February 23, 2020 and February 25, 2020.
Hindustan Times
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
2020 northeast Delhi riots aimed at dividing country, say cops; oppose bail
NEW DELHI: The 2020 riots in northeast Delhi were not spontaneous but a well-planned and well-thought-out conspiracy aimed at creating divisions on religious lines and embarrassing the country globally, the Delhi police told the Delhi high court on Wednesday, arguing against bail to student activists Gulfisha Fatima, Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, and United Against Hate (UAH) founder Khalid Saifi. New Delhi: A man walks past the charred remains of vehicles set ablaze by rioters at parking during the anti-CAA protests in February at Shiv Vihar area of Northeast Delhi (PTI) Solicitor General Tushar Mehta who appeared for the Delhi police, urged the bench of justices Navin Chawla and Shailender Kaur to not treat the case as a case of 'mere riots' but as one where the accused had conspired to cause communal divide, and destabilise India's unity, law and order. The bench has reserved its verdict. 'One of the intentions was to globally defame our nation by choosing a particular date for more rioting, arson. It's not a spontaneous riot. This is a case where riots were pre-planned, well-orchestrated, organised with the view to achieve the sinister goal of dividing the country on religious lines. The intention was to cause embarrassment at a global level since the same were committed on a day when the United States of America Donald Trump was to visit the capital,' Mehta submitted. The top law officer said the objective of the riots, in which 100 police personnel and others were injured and one policeman lost his life, was to defame the country Northeast Delhi erupted in violence on February 23, 2020, following clashes between Hindus and Muslims over the then-proposed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that left 53 dead and hundreds injured. The accused – which include jailed student activist Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Umar Khalid, United Against Hate (UAH) founder Khalid Saifi – were booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). They approached the high court for bail after the trial court rejected their request. They argued that they had spent more than four years in custody and that the trial's slow pace made prolonged incarceration unjustifiable. They also asserted that they are entitled to be released on bail on the grounds of parity with co-accused Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha, who were granted bail by the high court in 2021. At Wednesday's hearing, Mehta insisted that prolonged incarceration could not be a ground for release on bail, in a case where the accused intended to cause violence in the capital and break the country into two parts. 'It's not a riot case where someone can get bail for prolonged incarceration. Prolonged incarceration is held in some cases to be ground enough per se for grant of bail but in the matter of this nature, where the capital bleeds violence and the country breaks into two parts, the same is not applicable. If you're doing something against the nation, you better be in jail until you are acquitted or convicted,' Mehta submitted. He also submitted that the Delhi police had done a good job and recorded statements of almost 58 witnesses before the magistrate.
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Business Standard
09-07-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Delhi HC reserves verdict on Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid bail pleas
The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its judgment on the bail applications of activists Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and others, who are facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 riots in Delhi. A bench led by Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur reserved the decision after hearing arguments from both sides. The prosecution strongly opposed the bail pleas, arguing that the riots were not spontaneous but the outcome of a premeditated plan, according to a report by the Press Trust of India. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, appearing for the state, said: 'It was a conspiracy to defame India on a global level, and mere long incarceration is no ground for bail.' He added: 'If you do anything against your nation, you better be in jail till you are acquitted.' Sharjeel Imam's counsel argued that he was 'completely disconnected' from the location, timing and other accused individuals, including Umar Khalid. The lawyer claimed that neither Imam's speeches nor his WhatsApp messages incited violence. Case background Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and several others have been charged under UAPA and various sections of the Indian Penal Code. They are accused of being the masterminds of the February 2020 riots in the national capital, which erupted during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The violence led to 53 deaths and left over 700 injured. Imam was arrested on August 25, 2020. While challenging the trial court's denial of bail, Imam, Khalid and other accused have cited prolonged detention and claimed parity with co-accused who have already been granted bail. The bail applications of Imam, Khalid Saifi, Gulfisha Fatima and others have been pending before the High Court since 2022. Different benches have heard the matter over the past two years. Riots were result of 'pathological conspiracy': Police The police have objected to the bail pleas of all the accused, calling the February 2020 violence a 'clinical and pathological conspiracy'. According to the police, speeches by Khalid, Imam and others followed a common pattern, referencing sensitive issues such as CAA–NRC, the Babri mosque, triple talaq and Kashmir to create fear and provoke unrest. The prosecution argued that, given the serious nature of the allegations, the usual legal principle that 'bail is the rule and jail is the exception' does not apply. They also submitted that there is no evidence to suggest intentional delay in trial proceedings and that the right to a speedy trial does not automatically warrant bail.
India Gazette
01-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Delhi HC to hear Solicitor General's arguments against bail pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam
New Delhi [India], July 1 (ANI): The Delhi High Court is set to hear arguments from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta opposing the bail pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and others accused in the 2020 North East Delhi Riots case on Tuesday. The case involved allegations of a larger conspiracy, with 18 accused individuals chargesheeted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and two accused are absconding. The division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur, at the request of the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for the Delhi police, adjourned the matter for hearing on July 9. Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad appeared in person, and SG Mehta appeared through video conferencing. The High Court is hearing the bail pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and others. They challenged the trial court orders dismissing their bail, citing the embargo under UAPA. Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, and Asif Iqbal Tanha were granted regular bail by the Delhi High Court on June 15, 2021, after the court allowed their appeals against the trial court order. The trial court also granted bail to the accused, Ishrat Jahan. The accused are alleged to have hatched a conspiracy leading to the riots, which resulted in 53 deaths and hundreds of injuries in the North East Delhi Riots in February 2020. Delhi Police claim that Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam were key conspirators, with evidence including WhatsApp chats and speeches. More than 700 FIRs were registered against several accused persons in different police stations of North East Delhi and other areas. The Delhi High Court has previously questioned the Delhi Police's approach, asking whether organizing protests is enough to invoke UAPA charges and seeking concise evidence to support their claims. This case is at the stage of arguements on charges. (ANI)
The Hindu
29-04-2025
- Politics
- The Hindu
PM Modi meets Rajnath, Doval, service chiefs on Pahalgam attack; Supreme Court asks what's wrong in using Pegasus against ‘anti-nationals', and more in The Hindu's top news of April 29, 2025.
Pahalgam attack: PM Modi chairs meet with Rajnath, Doval, service chiefs Prime Minister Narendra Modi chaired a meeting with Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval and the chiefs of the three services. Chief of Defence Staff General Anil Chauhan is also part of the meeting, which is held amid India weighing its countermeasures following the Pahalgam terror attack. Pahalgam terror attack: Union Home Secretary chairs high-level security meeting Union Home Secretary Govind Mohan on Tuesday (April 29, 2025) chaired a high-level meeting which was attended by chiefs of three paramilitary forces and senior officers of two other security organisations, sources said. The meeting was held amid the charged atmosphere following the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir in which 26 people, mostly tourists, were killed. Pahalgam terror attack: 48 tourist sites in Kashmir shut amid security concerns Nearly 50 public parks and gardens located in vulnerable areas of Kashmir valley have been shut as a precautionary measure in the wake of the Pahalgam terror attack, officials said on Tuesday (April 29, 2025). Gates have been closed at 48 of the 87 public parks and gardens in Kashmir in view of the threat perception to tourists, they said. India at U.N.: Pakistan Defence Minister's open confession exposes country as 'rogue state' fuelling global terrorism India said that the open confession of Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif admitting to his country's history of supporting and funding terrorist organisations exposes Pakistan as a 'rogue state' fuelling global terrorism and destabilising the region. India's Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (U.N.), Ambassador Yojna Patel delivered a strong Right of Reply at the hybrid launch event for the 'Victims of Terrorism Association Network' (VoTAN) of the UN Office of Counter-Terrorism in New York on Monday (April 28) when Pakistan's delegate made a reference to the Pahalgam terror attack in Jammu and Kashmir. Supreme Court asks what's wrong if country using Pegasus against 'anti-nationals', agrees to examine if private citizens were hacked The Supreme Court asked petitioners on Tuesday (April 29, 2025) if there was something wrong in the government using Israeli military grade Pegasus spyware for security reasons against 'anti-national elements'. 'What is wrong if the country used that spyware for security reasons against anti-national elements? There is nothing wrong with having spyware. Against whom it is used, is the point,' Justice Surya Kant, heading a Bench with Justice N. Kotiswar Singh, addressed petitioners, who include senior journalist N. Ram. Supreme Court mulls clubbing FIRs against Sharjeel Imam, transferring them to Delhi The Supreme Court on Tuesday (April 29, 2025) made oral observations in favour of clubbing sedition FIRs registered across multiple States against former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Sharjeel Imam and transferring them to Delhi. The court remarked that all the cases arose from one speech and dealt with the same offence. Supreme Courts orders CBI probe into Supertech builder projects, cites 'builder-bank nexus' Observing an 'unholy' nexus between the banks and developers, the Supreme Court on Tuesday (April 29, 2025) directed the CBI to register a preliminary inquiry into projects of realty major Supertech Limited in NCR. A Bench of Justices Surya Kant and N. Kotiswar Singh took into account an affidavit filed by CBI and directed the U.P., Haryana DGPs to give a list of DSPs, inspector, constables to the agency to constitute a special investigation team (SIT). Delhi Cabinet approves Bill to regulate fee in government, private schools The Delhi government, in a meeting chaired by Chief Minister Rekha Gupta, on Tuesday (April 29, 2025), approved a bill to regulate fee in private and government schools in the national capital. The government has taken a 'bold and historic' step by approving the Delhi School Education Transparency in Fixation and Regulation of Fees Bill, 2025, the CM said while addressing a press conference after the meeting. J&K student thrashed in Nagpur; students association seeks Fadnavis' intervention A student from Jammu and Kashmir studying at a pharmacy college in Nagpur was thrashed by a group of local residents, police said on Tuesday (April 29, 2025). A motive was not yet clear, they said. The incident took place on Sunday (April 27, 2025) evening in the Kamptee area of the Maharashtra city, but no complaint has been received so far from the victim, said a senior police official. Juvenile among four nabbed for Haryana woman's gang-rape, her daughter's murder A ragpicker was dragged from the doorsteps of her shanty to a garbage dump and allegedly gang-raped, and her five-year-old daughter was also sexually assaulted before being murdered. Five days later on April 26, police nabbed four accused, including a juvenile. Police officials said the grisly incident took place on the night of April 21. An FIR was lodged three days later based on a complaint filed by the 35-year-old woman who had passed out due to trauma and could regain consciousness a couple of days later, they said. Indian student missing in Canada for three days found dead A 21-year-old Indian student who went missing three days ago in Canada's Ontario province has been found dead, according to authorities. Vanshika's death was confirmed by the Indian High Commission in Ottawa in an 'X' post on Monday (April 28, 2025). 'We are deeply saddened to be informed of the death of Ms. Vanshika, student from India in Ottawa,' it said, adding that concerned authorities have taken up the case, which is now under investigation. Carney wins Canadian election, while Conservative leader loses his seat in Parliament Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's Liberal Party has won the federal election, capping a stunning turnaround in fortunes fueled by U.S. President Donald Trump's annexation threats and trade war. Mr. Carney's rival, populist Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre, was voted out of his seat in Parliament, the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation projected Tuesday (April 29, 2025). Mr. Poilievre, a career politician, campaigned with Trump-like bravado, taking a page from the 'America First' president by adopting the slogan 'Canada First.' But his similarities to Trump may have ultimately cost him and his party. 'India would be one of first trade deals we sign': U.S. Treasury Secretary U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said that India is likely to be among the first countries to finalise a bilateral trade agreement with the U.S. to avert reciprocal tariffs by President Donald Trump. Mr. Bessent made these remarks on Monday during an interview with CNBC's Squawk Box' to discuss the latest developments on President Trump's trade negotiations with other countries. Nitish Kumar hails new sensation from Bihar Vaibhav Suryavanshi; announces ₹10-lakh reward Bihar Chief Minister (CM) Nitish Kumar on Tuesday (April 29, 2025) lauded 14-year-old Vaibhav Suryavanshi for becoming the youngest-ever centurion in T20 cricket, and announced a cash reward of ₹10 lakh for his stellar performance. Suryavanshi lit up the IPL on Monday (April 28) evening with his 38-ball 101 that was dotted with 11 sixes and seven fours. A staggering 94 runs of the young Rajasthan Royals batter came in boundaries in the match against Gujarat Titans.
