The Delhi Police on Thursday, opposed the bail pleas of activists Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and other accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.
During the hearing of the case in the Supreme Court, Delhi Police mentioned that “ intellectuals involved in terrorism” pose a greater threat than individuals operating on the ground.
Appearing for the police, ASG S.V. Raju presented a compilation of videos that he said captured Imam delivering “inflammatory speeches” in the run-up to the riots.
The clips, recorded at multiple locations including Chakhand, Jamia, Aligarh and Asansol between 2019 and early 2020, were cited as part of the evidence in the chargesheet.
In one of the videos recorded from Aligarh on January 16, 2020, Imam is allegedly heard urging protestors to “cut off” the Northeast by blocking the Siliguri corridor, “chicken’s neck”, and hindering supplies to Assam. Raju told the court that Imam’s remarks amounted to advocating India’s territorial disruption.
Other videos show references to the Babri Masjid verdict, the CAA, triple talaq and calls for a nationwide “chakka jam”. The police argued that Imam’s alleged plan was timed to coincide with then U.S. President Donald Trump’s India visit to draw international attention.
Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for Imam, countered that the police had shown selective snippets from hours-long speeches.
The Supreme Court will continue hearing the matter on Friday.
