Delhi Riots 2020: Police File 17,000-Page Chargesheet Against 15 Accused Under UAPA

Delhi Police on Wednesday filed a chargesheet before a city court under the stringent law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other sections against 15 persons for larger conspiracy in the North-East Delhi riots case that occurred in February. Special cell of the Delhi Police told the court that it has relied upon CD-R and Whatsapp chats. In its chargesheet running into 17,000 pages, the police has listed 747 witnesses and of them 51 have recorded their statements before the magistrate under CRPC 164.

Even as the Delhi Police filed its most recent chargesheet, a group of activists and academicians on Wednesday demanded immediate release of all those booked under the stringent UAPA in relation with the riots cases.

The joint statement was issued by Syeda Hameed, writer and former member of erstwhile Planning Commission of India, senior lawyer Prashant Bhushan, former JNU students' union president Kanhaiya Kumar, CPIML politburo member Kavita Krishnan, journalist Pamela Philipose and former DUTA president Nandita Narain.

"All democratic voices of dissent are being gradually implicated. This includes students, academicians, artists, politicians and activists. We demand an immediate end to this outrageous investigation that is being conducted with prejudice and mala fide intent," the statement stated.

At a press conference earlier in the day, Bhushan said that the group had requested President Ram Nath Kovind to constitute a commission of inquiry.

Recently, the Special Cell also arrested ex-Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid under UAPA. Khalid was sent to ten days police remand for allegedly hatching a conspiracy for riots in North-East Delhi in February. Delhi Police also issued summons to filmmakers Rahul Roy and Saba Dewan in relation to the case.

Pinjra Tod members and JNU students Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal, JNU student Sharjeel Imam; Jamia Millia Islamia students Asif Iqbal Tanha and Gulfisha Khatoon, former Congress Councillor Ishrat Jahan, Jamia Coordination Committee members Safoora Zargar, Meeran Haider, President of Jamia Alumni Association Shifa-Ur-Rehman, suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain and activist Khalid Saifi have also been booked under UAPA in relation to the case.