NEW DELHI: The Delhi High Court, while reviewing bail pleas of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, and others implicated in the 2020 North-East Delhi riots under the UAPA, expressed its impatience with the prolonged arguments presented by the State.
A bench comprising Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Shalinder Kaur, after listening to the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) for over an hour, emphasised the need to wrap up the submissions. “This needs to end now. We can’t provide endless time,” the judges remarked.
During a previous hearing on January 9, the court had similarly urged the prosecution to conclude his arguments, reiterating that it was not a trial.
On Tuesday, the SPP referenced extracts from Imam’s speeches to substantiate claims of his involvement in the riots conspiracy. The SPP asserted that Imam’s speeches themselves showed a conspiracy, highlighting a particular speech calling for a ‘chakka jam’, which he argued was provocative.
The SPP attributed the Shaheen Bagh protests to Imam, alleging that he was the mastermind behind the protests, despite local opposition. He also claimed Imam’s speech challenged the government’s authority to implement laws. The bench, however, directed the SPP to provide concise notes in future proceedings.