Delhi riots 2020: It was a 'regime change operation,' says police in SC; argues for 'jail and not bail'

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Thursday opposed the bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others in the Supreme Court in the UAPA case linked to the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 Delhi riots, claiming they conspired to strike at the country’s sovereignty and integrity through a “regime change operation” disguised as a peaceful protest.

The police said the offences were part of a deliberate attempt to destabilise the state, warranting “jail and not bail,” news agency PTI reported quoting an affidavit filed before the top court. The agency said it had collected ocular, documentary and technical evidence showing the accused’s “deep-rooted complicity” in allegedly engineering riots across the country on communal lines.


The bail pleas of Khalid, Imam, Gulfisha Fatima and Meeran Haider, all booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, are scheduled to be heard on Friday by a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria.

According to the affidavit, the alleged conspiracy aimed to disrupt communal harmony and instigate crowds “to the extent of armed rebellion.” The police also said the accused planned to escalate tensions during the visit of US President Donald Trump, in order to attract international media attention and portray the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) protests as a global issue.

"The materials on record, including chats referencing President Trump, establish that the conspiracy was pre-planned to coincide with his visit,” the affidavit stated, adding that the CAA was used as a “radicalising catalyst” camouflaged as a peaceful movement.

The police further alleged that the accused have delayed and obstructed the trial, calling their conduct a "brazen abuse of process." It said the argument that there are more than 900 witnesses was misleading, asserting that only 100–150 witnesses are material to the case and can be examined swiftly if the accused cooperate.



(With inputs from PTI)


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