Northeast Delhi violence: HC issues notice to police on Meeran Haider's bail plea in larger conspiracy case

New Delhi [India], May 20 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to Delhi Police in the bail plea of Meeran Haider in a larger conspiracy case connected with the North East Delhi riots of February 2020.
The trial court had dismissed the bail plea of Meeran Haider.
Justice Mukta Gupta issued notice to Delhi Police and listed the matter for hearing on 21 July 2022.
Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad submitted that the petition should be clubbed and sent to another bench for hearing along with other connected petitions filed by Umar Khalid and other accused in the case.
The bench said that the bail petition of Umar Khalid was transferred to another bench because the matter was partly heard by the same bench.
Karkardooma Court had dismissed the bail plea of Meeran Haider. He has challenged the said order by moving the petition through Advocate Vismita Diwan before High Court. He was booked under sections of UAPA by Delhi Police for alleged conspiracy of riots.
The trial court had rejected the contention of defence counsel Shri Singh that the accused was not present in Delhi during the time of the riots. On this aspect, the court said that in a case of conspiracy, it is not necessary that every accused should be present on the spot.
The contention that the accused works on socio-political issues and has a lot of qualifications including Ph.D. is not a relevant consideration while deciding the bail application. A bail application must be decided on facts presented in the charge sheet, the court had observed.
The Court had taken the note of statements given by protected witnesses Robert, Hector, Plantinum, Bond, James, Alpha, Aqib Aman, Beeta, Hotel, and Romeo regarding the conspiracy and other allegations with regard to the accused. The court said that a broad reading of all the statements brings out the role of the accused Meeran Haider in the context of conspiracy and riots.
The Defence counsel had argued that even if all allegations against the accused in relation to organizing a protest or setting up of protest sites are accepted at face value, including those on his role in organizing a chakka jam in New Delhi, the prosecution has failed to disclose any crime committed by him under UAPA.
According to the prosecution the accused was a member of the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC). He was a member of all the three Whatsapp groups of JJC namely JCC JMI Officials, JMI & JCC-JMI. He was also a member of united against hate (UAH) Okhla.
SPP Amit Prasad argued that Meeran Haider was managing and handling 8 protest sites namely Shaheen Bagh, Khureji, Seelampur-Jafrabad, Turkman Gate, Kardampuri, Mustafabad, Rehman Chowk (Shriram Colony) and Inderlok Metro Gate No. 4. He was also involved in the collection of money and its use in the riots. (ANI)