2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy: High Court set to announce verdict in bail pleas of 10 accused today

Another bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar had also reserved the order on bail plea of Tasleem Ahmed, another accused in the case, in July and this plea too, is due for pronouncement of verdict on Tuesday.

Saifi, Gulfisha, Md Saleem Khan and Shifa ur Rehman had completed arguments for bail twice earlier before the Delhi HC before two different benches. However, the judges, after being appointed as Chief Justices of other High Courts did not deliver the verdict. The four accused argued for bail a third time before the division bench.

Before Justice Chawla and Justice Kaur heard Sharjeel Imam’s bail plea, the matter had been listed for hearing at least 62 times before seven different division benches of the Delhi HC, according to his counsels.

The Delhi Police Special Cell had arrested Ahmed, the owner of a coaching centre and a resident of South Delhi’s Sangam Vihar, in connection with the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots in June 2020, under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA.
The bench, in July, had orally inquired from the prosecution, “Five years have gone…even arguments on charge have not completed..With 700 witnesses, (for) how much time (can) a person be kept inside?”

Eighteen people accused in the case are facing allegations of pre-planned conspiracy to allegedly cause riots in East Delhi between February 23, 2020 and February 25, 2020 with offences registered under the IPC, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act (PDPP) Act, Arms Act, and the UAPA.

An FIR was registered by the Delhi Crime Branch in March 2020 in this relation with the investigation being undertaken by the Special Cell.
Among the 18 accused, activist Safoora Zargar was released on bail in June 2020 and another accused Faizan was granted bail in October 2020.

Three other activists — Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif Iqbal Tanha — were granted bail in June 2021 by the Delhi HC. Former Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan was granted bail in this case in March 2022.

Another accused Saleem Malik was refused bail by Delhi HC in April 2024. Former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain too remains in custody in this case.

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