The prosecution opposing former JNU student Umar Khalid’s bail in a northeast Delhi riots case has told a Delhi court that all 25 anti-CAA protest sites in Delhi were picked because of their proximity to mosques, but were “purposefully given secular names”.
Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad made these arguments before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat, arguing that the 25 protest sites were close to local mosques. Giving out examples, the SPP said: “Shreeram colony protest site was actually Noorani Masjid protest. Sadar Bazar protest site was Shahi Idgaah. Shastri Park protest site was actually Wahid Jama Masjid. Gandhi Park protest site was actually Jamila Masjid… All 25 protests sites I have pointed out are in close vicinity of masjids. That is the identification of these protest sites.”
The SPP argued that the organisers of the protest sites wanted to “create ground work for 24X7 sit-in protests”.
He argued that the protest sites were not organic in nature and that “hidden elements were PFI, Jamat-e-Hind and Student Islamic Organisation of India”.
Prasad argued that the purpose of the Jamia Awareness Campaign Team (JACT) was to “spread disinformation and instigate Muslims about CAA, NRC and to induce their women and children to join protests”.
The SPP argued that there was “a public perception that Umar Khalid is an atheist and studying in JNU, which vouches for being secular”. Prasad added: “Then why did you join a Muslim group (Muslim Students of JNU)? You potray yourself as something else for public knowledge.”
Prasad also drew parallels between several incidents of rioting which took place against the backdrop of the CAA-NRC protest with the Delhi riots, stating: “Almost every person involved in December 2019 riots surfaced in 2020… Difference between 2019 and 2020 is Jamia and Shaheen Bagh were deliberately avoided and women were used as forefront to make it look like rightful dissent in 2020.”
Alleging that the conspirators of the 2019 incident learned their lesson, and that this could be seen in JNU student Sharjeel Imam’s speech, the SPP submitted, “Northeast Delhi (was) chosen for its social, economic matrix for mass-scale violence.”
Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat questioned the SPP, saying: “But if you look at his speeches, Sharjeel Imam does not believe in any ideology starting from Gandhi till today. He only believes in himself. So how did he align with others?”
Prasad told the court that he will demonstrate the same with the help of chats and that he was not saying this from a figment of his imagination.
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His arguments, which began on Tuesday could not be concluded, will be heard on January 28.
Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy.
Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free.
Expertise and Reporting Beats
Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors:
National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres.
Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA).
Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking.
Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers.
Professional Background
Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017.
Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh.
Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs.
Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife.
Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance.
Digital & Professional Presence
Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express
Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More
