Opposing the bail plea of former JNU student Umar Khalid and six other accused in the 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi riots case, the Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad told the court that witnesses have testified that the accused wanted to create a separate nation for Muslims, for which they conspired to incite violence.
In the bail hearing that continued on Thursday, February 3, SPP Amit Prasad told the bench of Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat, that they have witnesses on record saying the accused gave a statement saying ‘musalmaano ke liye alag rashtra banana hai’ (Have to create a separate nation for Muslims). “There is no ambiguity in this,” said SSP.
The Government counsel presented another statement of a professor named Dr Apurvanand who had said before the magistrate that the Delhi riots accused had reportedly said “Sarkar ko Jhukana and, Hindu-musalman karwana hai” (We need to bring the government on its knees, separate Hindu-Muslims).
Prasad further presented another statement by a witness named Victor. His statement recorded before the magistrate read: “‘Hinduon ko khatm karna hai’ ke naare lagrahe the chand bagh mei” (Slogans of ‘Hindus need to be finished’ were raised in Chand Bagh).
One statement by a person named victor reads which has been recorded before the Magistrate reads – “Hinduon ko khatm karna hai” ke naare lagrahe the chand bagh mei: Prosecutor #DelhiRiots
— LawBeat (@LawBeatInd) February 3, 2022
The prosecutor indicated that there is evidence to suggest UAPA and sedition charges after presenting various similar testimonials in court.
SPP Amit Prasad said the prosecution was relying on numerous judgements to lay forth the principles to be followed in situations of criminal conspiracy in his arguments before Additional Session Judge Amitabh Rawat in the Delhi riots case.
“All persons accused of conspiracy don’t have to have played a role in every part of the conspiracy. When people reach an agreement, they become agents for one another,” said Prasad. He went on to say that he has presented enough proof to establish that many were reporting from riot sites to Umar Khalid.
The prosecution also alleged that former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, another accused in the case, was also charged with turning white money to black in order to execute the anti-Hindi Delhi riots.
Delhi Riots funded by terrorist organisations, Tahir Hussain
“Funding came was from terrorist organisations. There are evidences of Tahir Hussain converting money from white to black. It is a very unusual thing, we have a complete chain of evidence. Why was it needed to convert money to black? This money went to sites,” Prasad told the court.
To prove his point, Prasad read out a statement of a witness, who confirmed before the magistrate that “Protest ke liye kuch paisa Jamia se aata tha, kuch atankwadi dete the” (While some funds for the protest came from Jamia, some were given by terrorists).
“Protest ke liye kuch paisa Jamia se aata tha, kuch atankwadi dete the – again a statement before the Magistrate, not before the Police.” – statement recorded before Magistrate by one, Robert says: Prosecutor #DelhiRiots
— LawBeat (@LawBeatInd) February 3, 2022
He added that Meeran Haider, a PhD student at the Jamia Millia Islamia University and an accused in the Delhi riots case had also received funds from various “NGO’s” namely, one “New education welfare organisation”
Further mentioning a speech by Meeran Haider, a PhD student at the Jamia Millia Islamia University and an accused in the Delhi riots case, Prasad argued in court that his speech suggested that there was a decision for Chakka Jam and Violence during the Delhi riots. “There is an entire gamut of evidence to suggest that the model was Chakka jam, ensuing violence. In the entire violence, it has led to 53 deaths and 275 FIRs have been. Many police personnel have died. Almost 2400 people have been arrested. The conspirators have not suffered. People have suffered. Although the individual role is not to be seen in case of conspiracy,” said Prasad presenting excerpts from Haider’s speech using the violence.
Delhi court frames UAPA and sedition charges against Sharjeel Imam
Notably, while the court said it would continue hearing the bail plea of Umar Khalid and six other accused next week, it said it has found sufficient grounds to proceed against Sharjeel Imam for offences in the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, 1949 (UAPA) and sedition in the Indian Penal Code (IPC) under Sections 124A, 153A, 153B, 505 IPC & Section 13 UAPA.
Prosecutor provides WhatsApp chats as more evidence to oppose bail plea of Umar Khalid
It may be recalled that in the previous hearings also, SPP Amit Prasad has presented many such evidences to oppose the bail petition of Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi and 5 others who are accused in Delhi Riots larger conspiracy case involving charges under IPC and UAPA. The SPP Amit Prasad had included WhatsApp chats between numerous accused parties in his arguments, which were included in the chargesheet and additional chargesheets.
Prasad further informed the court that various WhatsApp groups, including the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) and the Delhi Protest Support Group (DPSG), were formed to coordinate information regarding protest places.
To substantiate claims that a larger conspiracy to cause communal riots was hatched by Umar Khalid, SSP Amit Prasad read out a statement of a witness who had confirmed that Umar Khalid during a meeting had said: “Sarkar musalmano ke khilaaf hai, bhashan se kaam nahi chalega, khoon bahana padega,” translated as (The government is against the Muslims, only talking is not enough, we will have to shed blood), the screenshot of which were shared by LawBeat while covering the proceedings.
Lawyer of Delhi riots accused wants screenshots of WhatsApp chats that implicate Umar Khalid and others deleted
Interestingly, today when the bail proceedings had commenced, Senior lawyer Rebecca John, who is representing Northeast Delhi riots suspect Khalid Saifi, had urged the Delhi court to order LawBeat, an Indian legal news portal, to pull down Tweets regarding Umar Khalid’s yesterday’s bail hearing, which she referred to as ‘contemptuous’.
LawBeat had posted screenshots of WhatsApp messages that Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad, appearing on behalf of the Delhi police presented as evidence to oppose the bail plea of Anti-Hindu Delhi Riots accused Umar Khalid.
