NEW DELHI: Student activists Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, and Asif lqbal Tanha, who are accused in a case related to the alleged conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots, on Thursday moved a city court seeking the status of the probe by the Delhi police, before proceeding with the arguments on charges.
The accused persons moved an application before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat at the Karkardooma courts for a direction to the cops for the status of the probe in the case and also regarding the completion of the probe.
One of the applicants, Tanha, sought a direction to the cops to give a timeline about when the probe is likely to be completed, besides stating on record prior to advancing arguments on charge that the investigation regarding him was complete.
The counsel appearing for co-accused Safoora Zargar and Sharjeel Imam submitted that they will be adopting the submissions made by Tanha. The counsel representing co-accused Meeran Haider, however, told the court that he will file a separate application seeking similar relief. The court will hear arguments on the applications on Monday.
The accused have been booked under UAPA and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the ‘masterminds’ of the Delhi riots. The riots broke out in the national capital in February 2020 as clashes between the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and pro-CAA protesters took a violent turn. The mayhem saw more than 50 people lose their lives besides leaving over 700 persons injured.
The 18 accused persons in the alleged riots conspiracy case – which include Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi, Meeran Haider, Tahir Hussain, Gulfisha, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Ishrat Jahan – are facing various offences under the UAPA and IPC, as well as provisions of the Arms Act, 1959, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.