Delhi riots conspiracy: Police allege ‘regime-change operation,’ oppose bail for activists

New Delhi: The Delhi Police on Thursday firmly opposed the bail plea of student activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and three others charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case. Arguing before the Supreme Court, the police said the alleged offences were part of a calculated attempt to destabilise the state, insisting that the circumstances warranted “jail, not bail.”

According to media reports, the 177-page document submitted by the police a day ahead of the hearing claimed that the February 2020 violence was not a spontaneous outburst of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), but a premeditated “regime-change operation” staged under the pretext of civil dissent. The alleged plan, the affidavit stated, sought to spark communal unrest during then US President Donald Trump’s visit to “internationalise” the turmoil and depict the Indian government as discriminatory.

The police filing comes two days after a bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria directed the agency to assess whether the accused—many of whom have remained in custody for nearly five years as undertrials—could be considered for bail.

While bail is generally the rule under ordinary criminal law, the UAPA demands a stricter approach, requiring courts to ensure there is no prima facie link to terrorist activity before granting bail. The Delhi Police argued that this condition was not satisfied in the present case.

Filed through advocate Rajat Nair, the affidavit stated that investigators have gathered ocular, documentary, and technical evidence indicating the accused were part of a “deep-rooted conspiracy” based on communal mobilisation. It added that encrypted messages and digital communications allegedly reveal the protests were planned to coincide with Trump’s February 2020 visit to ensure global attention.

Earlier on Monday, the Supreme Court pulled up the Delhi Police for seeking additional time to file its counter-affidavit in the bail petitions filed by student activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shifa-ur-Rehman, all accused in the 2020 Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case.

The petitioners have challenged the Delhi High Court’s order denying them bail, which had held that there was prima facie material to suggest a conspiracy behind the 2020 riots.

The Supreme Court had issued notice to the Delhi Police on September 22. The February 2020 Delhi riots, which erupted amid protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), claimed 53 lives and left over 700 injured.

(with inputs from IANS)