Opposing the bail application of former JNU student leader Umar Khalid in the Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case, the prosecution on Wednesday told a city court that the accused persons had “pinned the blame” of the riots on BJP leader Kapil Mishra and the Bhim Army in order to deflect their own involvement in the case.
Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad made the argument before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat, who had clubbed the bail pleas of several other accused, including Mr. Khalid, in the case.
Mr. Prasad submitted the Delhi Protest Support Group (DPSG), constituted to coordinate various protests against CAA and NRC, tried to deflect its culpability in the riots by blaming Mr. Mishra’s speech and the Bhim Army, which called for a Bharat Bandh days before the riots.
“...On one side we have seen you say that after a [bandh] call by Bhim Army, there is an escalation [in movement]. Then a complaint against Kapil Mishra…the first front is Bhim Army and the second front you are opening against Kapil Mishra…,” SPP Prasad argued.
The prosecution also submitted that there was no participation of local residents in the anti-CAA and NRC protests. “When no local women are there, what is the option? Importing from somewhere…”
The SPP said the meetings conducted by the DPSG on February 16 and 17 pertained to the “collection of acid”, as stated by a protected witness before a magistrate.
“If you are doing peaceful protests, then why are you stocking up on acid? The purpose was to create violence,” said Mr. Prasad.
Reiterating that it was a “conspiracy of silence”, he told the court that there were a total of 34 messages in the group between February 18 and 21. “...as soon as the violence began, there was absolute silence in the group, limiting the interaction to sharing messages and forwards,” the court was informed.
CCTV footage
Mr. Prasad also played out CCTV footage of the protest sites to buttress his argument that several cameras installed there were diverted, covered or disconnected to ensure that no evidence was left.
Citing an alleged statement of Mr. Khalid that “blood had to be shed”, Mr. Prasad asked, “You are not shedding your own blood. Whose blood are you shedding?”
