Umar Khalid, the urban terrorist – who happens to be a former JNU student – accused of conspiracy to commit and spearhead Delhi anti-Hindu riots of 2020, was on Wednesday charged with serious intention by the prosecution to shed blood. Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad read out the statement of a confidential witness to the magistrate in the court of Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat.

According to the prosecution’s charges which was levied in the court against Umar, it was told in the meeting held in Seelampur, Umar Khalid told Gul (Gulfisha)

that speeches will not work, understand that the government is against Muslims and blood will have to be shed. Chakka jam is the last way. We have to bring the government to its knees. The government of ‘Sanghis’ will not behave like this.’

The Special Public Prosecutor also informed the Judge about the suspicious activities of Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal, who run a notorious organization named Pinjra Tod and themselves are the members of the Pinjra Tod organization in Seelampur. Along with this, while presenting the related WhatsApp chat, it was said that both of them had transported 250-300 women in burqa from Jahangirpuri to the Jaffrabad protest site on 23 February 2020 in six buses and a canter through a person named Jhanvi and Tabrez. Showing the pictures of buses and canters, it was told that Devangana and Natasha had paid their fare as well. They were earlier taken to Shaheen Bagh. There they were provided with chili powder, glass bottles and stones. Amit Prasad said that Umar Khalid came to know about these women living in Jahangirpuri, who are of Bangladeshi origin, from the dharna at Jantar Mantar which was held on 10 February 2020.

The public prosecutor also went on to explain the dharna and conspiracy in North-East Delhi to the court through an animation video. It revealed how head constable Ratan Lal was murdered at 25 Futa Road. Earlier cameras were covered with clothing and their direction was changed or the connection was removed. Not only this, special weapons were also prepared for the rioters. The advocate told the court that Umar Khalid was in constant touch with Natasha Narwal from Samastipur during the riots and was giving her directions.

The prosecution also told the court that the main conspirators of the case tried to pin the blame on Bhim Army and Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Kapil Mishra.

Delhi Police has opposed the bail plea of ​​former JNU student Umar Khalid and six others. It has also been alleged that he had hatched a conspiracy to incite violence and attack police officers during the 2020 riots in the national capital. Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat was also shown by the prosecution the footage of February 24, 2020, captured on a CCTV camera installed in Chand Bagh area of ​​northeast Delhi and the chats of the accused in a WhatsApp group ‘Delhi Protest Support Group (DPSG)’. A police lawyer told the court, “The important thing is that on one hand we have seen you saying that tension escalated after Bhim Army’s (Bharat Bandh) call. Then a complaint was made against Kapil Mishra. This is a message from Khalid Saifi.

Lathis were distributed to generate violence, first front Bhim Army and second front you opened against Kapil Mishra. I have shown you that there was no local involvement in this. When no local woman was there, then what is the point of bringing them from somewhere else?” The prosecution told the court that the accused were collecting acid, sticks and red chillies etc. .

He further told the court that the issue regarding the 2020 protests was not CAA or NRC but to embarrass the government and take such steps that it gets highlighted in international media.

“Issue was not CAA-NRC. The issue was you had to somehow embarrass the government. In the process of embarrassing the government, you take steps which will reflect in the international media,” SPP Prasad said.

Khalid and several others have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), a stringent anti-terror law, and are accused of being the “masterminds” of the riots which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

 

 

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