Nothing in speeches which instigated violence: RJD youth wing leader Meeran Haider tells Delhi High Court in UAPA case

Haider’s counsel argued before a special bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar that there was “nothing on record against his client apart from him being a part of certain WhatsApp groups which has been elevated to the level of violation of UAPA”.

On speeches resorted to by the prosecution against Haider, it was submitted that “these speeches are mischaracterized by witnesses” as revolutionary without pointing out which speech is saying what.

He read through certain speeches made by his client to state that in some of them, unparliamentary language was used; however, none incited violence. Haider’s counsel said witness statements were taken days before the chargesheet was filed.

“I’m advocating that they (police) must demonstrate what he has done to be part of Section 15 (which defines a terrorist act) under Chapter IV of the UAPA. If there is a tweet, message, Facebook post, they must show that. Their case is that there was a conspiracy which I’m a part of, which has caused consequences which amount to terrorism. In the absence of an actual speech, it is not sufficient to charge me..,” Haider’s counsel submitted.

He further argued that the police recovered some money from his home as well as that of his sister and friends and assumed that the “money which has not been recovered has been spent on inciting violence”. He countered that the money was not spent on violence, and whatever small contributions he received were used by him as “he was trying to have a political career”.

“None of the speeches have asked anyone to use hazardous substances… I have not called death for a public functionary,” he said, referring to sections of the UAPA in Chapter four under which his client has been charged. “Which of these are terrorist acts they have to show here, which they haven’t shown in the trial court,” the counsel argued.