'Delhi Riots a Conspiracy To Bring Govt to Its Knees,' Says Prosecution

The prosecution said that the idea of Delhi riots conspiracy was to “overawe government and bring it to its knees."

(Photo: Aroop Mishra/The Quint)

The prosecution on Tuesday, 11 January, opposed the bail plea of former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid in an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case arguing that the idea of the alleged Northeast Delhi riots conspiracy was to “overawe the government and bring it to its knees.”

"The riots were clearly a criminal conspiracy carried out in secrecy. There is a continuation after the crime and a clear attempt to cover up," Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad said.

He further added that the conspiracy has to be proved taking into account circumstantial evidence and that the riots were not a “spontaneous burst of violence.”

“The High Court appreciated that this did not happen in the spur of the moment. There were 23 protest sites that were created. They were not organic in nature but meticulously planned in close proximity to masjids. There were teams to give logistical support, etc. We have demonstrated that," he said.

Prasad claimed that the idea was to bring the government to its knees and withdraw the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

Prasad also alleged that the charge sheet was like the script of a web series and a “fertile imagination of the investigating officer.”

"It was argued that IO is communal. It is very unfortunate. Investigating agency is not of a particular person but a State. We have to reach out to the same investigating agency if we have a problem. The first conviction in the Delhi riots case was of a Hindu," the SPP said.

“He wants the present case to be decided based on web series and wants to equate (it) with Trial of Chicago 7 and Family Man. Why does he want to equate this case with Family Man?" he asked.

(With inputs from The Indian Express.)