New Delhi: Opposing the bail plea of Umar Khalid, one of the accused in the Northeast Delhi violence case, Special Public Prosecutor on Friday brought the example of the 9/11 attack in the US and claimed that the protest had nothing to do with the Citizenship Amendment Act, but was intended to defame the government in international media.
Communal violence had broken out between the supporters of the Citizenship Amendment Act and those opposing the law in North East Delhi between February 23 and February 26, 2020. The violence claimed 53 lives and hundreds were injured. The majority of those killed were Muslims.
On Friday, Amit Prasad, Special Public Prosecutor on behalf of Delhi Police, referred to the speech given by Umar Khalid in Amravati on 20 February 2020, in which the then US President Donald Trump was mentioned. Prasad said that the aim was to draw the attention of the international media towards the ongoing protests in the country. The hearing on the bail plea will continue today as well.
Special Public Prosecutor submitted before the Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat citing the 9/11 example to counter Khalid's claim that he only sent five messages on the WhatsApp group and was not present at the site. Referring to the chargesheet, Prasad argued that these people were remotely supervising the protest sites just like the conspirators of the 9/11 attack who were not in the US.
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Prasad said that on February 17, there were indications of the protest turning violent. Such messages were sent in the group. Khalid was in the group, but he remained silent. During the arguments, Prasad said there was a connection between Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. He further argued that Umar Khalid was the mentor of Sharjeel Imam.
He argued when they say that there was no connection between Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, it is wrong as they held a meeting together. In support of his argument, Prasad shared a photo of meeting that took place between them at Jangpura. "The first place for Chakka Jam was Jafrabad where Umar Khalid met Pinja Tod. The presence of these people was not natural.
Amit Prasad submitted, ''The issue was never CAA-NRC. But it was how to embarrass the government, it is clear from the speeches made. While doing so, you took steps that would reflect in international media. Dard tha Babri ka, Triple Talaq ka, Dard tha 370 ka. The issue was never Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), it was about religious issues like Babri Masjid and Triple Talaaq."
The prosecution had earlier argued that during Anti CAA protest organizers created 25 protest sites in the vicinity of madrasas and mosques but purportedly gave them a different name to tinge a secular colour.
