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Accused argue WhatsApp chats, speeches don’t establish conspiracy.
Police allege planned riots to “defame the nation globally.”
Verdict to be pronounced at 2:30 PM by Justices Shalinder Kaur and Naveen Chawla.
The bail requests made by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and seven other defendants in the 2020 Delhi riots "larger conspiracy" case will be decided by the Delhi High Court tomorrow. Tomorrow at 2:30 PM, a division bench consisting of Justices Shalinder Kaur and Naveen Chawla will render the decision.
According to Live Law, Athar Khan, Khalid Saifi, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa ur Rehman, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shadab Ahmed are among the other individuals who have submitted bail requests.
All of the defendants have challenged trial court's decisions to deny them bail in the case.
Umar Khalid, who was represented during the hearings by Senior Advocate Trideep Pais, had argued that it is not illegal to simply be a member of WhatsApp groups without sending any messages.
Accused Khalid Saifi, represented through Senior Advocate Rebecca John, submitted, “Can UAPA on the basis of innocuous messages or their (prosecution) attempt to make stories out of such messages, can it become a reason to deny me bail or is it even a ground to prosecute me under UAPA?”
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Reportedly, Sharjeel Imam argued that, contrary to what the Delhi Police have said, he is not involved in any conspiracy or conspiracy meetings and is totally cut off from all of the other co-accused individuals.
Advocate Talib Mustafa, Imam's attorney, said that the Delhi Police had used a speech he gave in Bihar as their last overt act, and that Imam's involvement in the riots, as claimed by the prosecution, continued till January 23, 2020.
SGI Tushar Mehta, appearing for Delhi Police, opposed the bail pleas, saying, “If you are doing something against the nation, then you better be in jail till you are acquitted or convicted.” Mehta said that the accused persons intended to globally defame the nation by choosing a particular day for more rioting and more arson. Delhi Police was also represented by Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad.
The case was registered by Delhi Police's Special Cell under various offences under the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The accused in the case are Tahir Hussain, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Isharat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar, Sharjeel Imam, Faizan Khan and Natasha Narwal.
