Delhi HC Asks Delhi Police to file Chart on Sharjeel Imam's Role, Next Hearing On Feb 19

High Court asked the Delhi Police to file a chart distinguishing the role of Sharjeel Imam from those of co-accused Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha in the February 2020 riots

The Delhi High Court will continue hearing student activist Sharjeel Imam's bail plea on February 19 (Photo: PTI) ( Image Source :PTI )

The court on Monday asked the Delhi Police to file a chart distinguishing the role of student activist Sharjeel Imam from those of co-accused Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 communal riots.

The Delhi High Court will continue hearing student activist Sharjeel Imam's bail plea on February 19, the PTI reported.

Imam is facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in a case linked to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the Delhi riots of February 2020.

According to a PTI report, a bench comprising Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain asked the police to mention Imam's history, his role and other details distinguishing his case from others. The bench also directed both Imam's counsel and Delhi Police to file written submissions in the matter.

Imam has filed for bail on grounds of parity, pointing out that six of the 18 accused named in the FIR have already been granted the relief. However, Special public prosecutor Amit Prasad opposed the plea on the grounds that different roles have been attributed to different accused in the case involving the larger conspiracy behind the riots, the PTI report said.

Prasad representing the Delhi Police said that as per the Supreme Court's order (where it dismissed Delhi Police appeal against bail to Tanha, Kalita and Narwal), it is the appellant who has to make his case on merit and not for the prosecution to show how their role is different from the ones granted bail.

Imam, along with several others including the jailed student-activist Umar Khalid, have been booked under anti-terror law UAPA and
several provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the masterminds of the February 2020 riots in North-East Delhi which left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

In February, 2020 violence erupted in parts of Delhi during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).