Delhi riots case: HC notice on appeal by United Against Hate founder Khalid Saifi

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday issued notice on the appeal filed by United Against Hate founder Khalid Saifi, who was denied bail by a trial court in connection with a UAPA case on the alleged larger conspiracy behind the northeast Delhi riots of 2020.

Issuing notice in the matter, a division bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Rajnish Bhatnagar posted it for July 11, after the summer vacations.

On April 8, rejecting the bail application, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat said: "I am of the opinion that allegations against the accused Khalid Saifi are prima facie true."

In the last hearing, Saifi's counsel Rebecca John argued that he has been falsely implicated in this case and the entire case of the prosecution is unsubstantiated without any evidence to link with the communal riots of 2020.

She also argued that other than the 'bald' statement made in the supplementary charge sheet, there was no evidence to show that Khalid Saifi met former JNU student Umar Khalid, another accused in the larger conspiracy case in December 2019, or that Khalid gave him any direction to raise a protest site at Khureji.

Saifi, one of the accused in the conspiracy case, has been booked under the anti-terror law -- Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Other accused -- JNU scholars and activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam among nearly a dozen of people -- are involved in the alleged larger conspiracy case, as per the Delhi Police.

Sharjeel and Khalid are also facing charges in connection with the inflammatory speeches which are allegedly fuelled, as per the police, the riots broke out in the national capital.

The riots broke out in northeast Delhi in February 2020 after clashes between the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and pro-CAA protesters took a violent turn.

The mayhem, which coincided with the then US President Donald Trump's maiden trip to India, saw more than 50 people lose their lives and over 700 injured.