NEW DELHI: Delhi Police on Tuesday told the high court that the accused in the 2020 Delhi riots do not have a right in the law to ask for the overall status of the investigation, before proceeding with the arguments on the charge.
The applications filed by accused-- Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Meeran Haider, and Athar Khan were taken up before Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Amitabh Rawat of the Karkardooma Court.
On behalf of the Delhi Police, Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad argued that each application failed to disclose any provision in the law that could allow their prayers, terming them as "frivolous," "speculative," and "presumptive".
He further submitted that the student leaders' plea was filed on the day when arguments on the charge were to begin.
"It was at 1:45 pm suddenly, when two accused opposed the hearing. They waited for a good 40 days. They made sure to wait till the time the prosecution opens the case," he argued, saying the applications are an 'effort to derail the trial.'
One of the applicants Tanha sought 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 the charge that the investigation regarding him was complete.
The counsel appearing for co-accused Safoora Zargar and Sharjeel Imam submitted before the court that they would be adopting the submissions made by Tanha.
The counsel representing co-accused Meeran Haider, however, told the court that he would file a separate application seeking similar relief.
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 conspiracy case 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 offenses under the UAPA and IPC, as well as provisions of the Arms Act, 1959, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984.
Other accused persons--Asif Iqbal Tanha, Safoora Zargar, Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, and Faizan Khan are on bail in the case.
