New Delhi, 17 July (H.S.): The Delhi High Court on Friday issued a notice to the Delhi Police while hearing the bail plea of Sharjeel Imam, an accused in the alleged conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots. A Bench headed by Justice Prathiba M. Singh directed the Delhi Police to file its response within two weeks. The next hearing in the matter has been scheduled for August 27.

Sharjeel Imam has challenged the July 4 order of the trial court before the Delhi High Court. On July 4, the Karkardooma Court had dismissed the bail applications of both Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid. Imam had approached the trial court after a Supreme Court ruling that raised questions regarding its earlier order rejecting the bail pleas of both accused.

In his bail petition, Sharjeel Imam submitted that despite six months having elapsed since the Supreme Court dismissed his bail plea, there has been no significant progress in the trial. He argued that even the arguments on framing of charges have not yet been concluded.

On January 5, the Supreme Court rejected the bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. On the same day, it granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa-ur-Rahman, Shadab Ahmed and Mohammad Salim Khan. Subsequently, on May 22, the Supreme Court granted six months' interim bail to accused Khalid Saifi and Tasleem Ahmad.

Earlier, Safoora Zargar, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal had already been granted bail in the case.

A chargesheet has been filed against 18 accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Those named in the case include Safoora Zargar, Tahir Hussain, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Ishrat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-ur-Rahman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmad, Salim Malik, Mohammad Salim Khan, Athar Khan, Sharjeel Imam, Faizan Khan, Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita.

The 2020 Delhi riots claimed the lives of at least 53 people and left many others injured.

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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar