Umar, Sharjeel Imam’s speeches fuelled fear: Police

The Delhi Police on Thursday argued before the Delhi High Court that speeches made by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and other activists created a climate of fear by referencing controversial issues like the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC), Babri mosque demolition, triple talaq, and Kashmir.

Opposing the bail pleas of Khalid, Imam, and others, Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad said that the speeches followed a “common pattern” and were instrumental in inciting violence during the northeast Delhi riots in February 2020, which resulted in 53 deaths and over 700 injuries.

“These speeches were not isolated incidents; they were deliberate attempts to instill fear among people. Khalid, Imam, Meeran, and Khalid Saifi gave speeches on identical lines, repeatedly referencing CAA-NRC, Babri, triple talaq, and Kashmir,” Prasad told the Bench comprising Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur.

Prasad mentioned an “objectionable speech” by Umar Khalid in Amravati, which he claimed was made viral to influence the public at the time. “There was a concerted plan to remain outside Delhi. When violence erupted, the accused reacted promptly, indicating prior coordination,” he alleged.

He alleged that the accused used women for stone-pelting and strategically managing protest sites, especially by students from Jamia Millia Islamia University. “Each action was deliberate and had a pattern. This was not mere protest but a planned disruption,” he said, adding that the riots fit the definition of a “terrorist act” under UAPA.

Khalid, Imam, and others have challenged their prolonged detention, citing parity with co-accused who have already been granted bail.