Delhi riots: Police file 17,000-page chargesheet under UAPA against 15, all anti-CAA protesters

Delhi Police on Wednesday filed a charge sheet before a city court under the stringent law UAPA and various sections of the IPC against 15 persons for larger conspiracy in northeast Delhi riots in February.

According to the sources, those named in the charge sheet are Taahir Hussain, Mohd Parvez Ahmed, Mohd Illyas, Saifi Khalid, Ishrat Jahan, Miran Haider, Safoora Zargar, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shahdab Ahmed, Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd Saleem Khan and Athar Khan.

Special cell of Delhi Police told Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat that it has relied upon CD-R and Whatsapp chats.

In the charge sheet running into 10,000 pages, the police has listed 747 witnesses and of them 51 have recorded their statements under CRPC 164 (before the magistrate).

The final report has been filed under stringent Unalawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), various sections of Indian Penal Codes and Arms Act.

The police said it has given chronology of conspiracy and relevant events in its charge sheet which is likely to be taken up for consideration in the coming days.

The evidence includes WhatsApp chats of February 24, the time when riots were happening. At that point, key conspirators were guiding their foot soldiers about violence in the area. The key conspirators were directly in touch with their foot soldiers, police said.

WhatsApp groups were used by conspirators for 'violence in Seelampur-Jafarabad area. There were 25 protest sites in 25 cities. 25 WhatsApp groups were especially created for each city. The impression was given that they were anti-CAA protest group but through these sites conspirators were being guided, it said

The Special Cell said that Tahir Hussain, Khalid Saifi and Umar Khalid had allegedly planned to carry out massive violence in the Capital during US President Donald Trump visit in Delhi.

In charge sheet, which discuses the conspiracy behind the Delhi riots, the police has claimed that on January 8 Tahir had met Umar Khalid and Khalid Saifi at Shaheen Bagh sit-in protest. Meetings subsequently also took place in the PFI office in Jamia Khalid Saifi instigated Tahir.

Umar reportedly assured that through his contacts (in PFI) logistical support etc will be provided, police said.

It said the probe is still underway and police will file a supplementary charge sheet in the matter.

The communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.