"We can't give you endless time": Delhi HC to police while hearing bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam
Jan 21, 2025
New Delhi [India], January 21 : While hearing the Special public prosecutor (SPP) for Delhi police who was opposing the bail pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and other individuals accused in the Larger Conspiracy of Delhi riots 2020, the Delhi High Court on Tuesday cautioned, "We can't give you endless time, this has to end."
A Division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur, after hearing lengthy submissions, once again asked SPP Amit Prasad to give a chart on the individual role of each accused person whose bail is being heard.
SPP Prasad requested the bench to give him two days to make further submissions and to make a short note on the individual.
"This has to end now; we can't give you endless time. These are bail applications," Justice Navin Chawla said.
SPP Amit Prasad said that petitioners were given six months to argue by the trial court but he was given very less time.
"We can't do the same. Can't go endless," Justice Chawla said.
Additional Solicitor General (ASG) Chetan Sharma also appeared through video conferencing. He also said, "I need to wrap up. SPP has made submissions on factual aspects. I need to wrap it up. It will take only five minutes.
Justice Chawla said, "You already wrapped up. Don't start it again, we need to close it."
Thereafter, the court listed the matter on February 12 for further hearing.
During arguments, SPP Amit Prasad referred to the speeches of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.
SPP read over a speech of Sharjeel Imam asking the people to get ready to take lathi blows, how to take it so that it hurts minimum, and what to wear.
"We need to do CHakka jam in Delhi. Dates for Chakka jam will be given to you," SSP Prasad said quoting Imam.
SPP Prasad referred to the speech in which Imam was allegedly saying that there 10,000 student of Jamia. If only 100 students work properly they can sensitise the city. Jamia Awareness Campaign Team (JACT) did the same by going door to door to contact people.
Delhi police also referred to where he allegedly said that students associated with left parties at JNU have declined to join the protest at Shaheen Bagh as they were asked not to join as they were told It is an Islamic stage.
"We have to close Delhi so that people are suffering. It takes three hours to reach Delhi from Noida. It will take six hours if some roads are closed. Water supply will be stopped if more roads are closed," SPP referred to the alleged speech of Sharjeel.
"It is our responsibility to cut Assam from India. They will hear us only after. There are Detention camps, and Muslims will be killed. Chicken neck belongs to Muslims. We will not tolerate the arbitrariness of the government," he added.
"He (Sharjeel) said this in a speech on January 23, 2020. We have four weeks, that will make it to 22 February. The court is of nobody. Sarkar ko chhodo, court ko nani yaad aa jani chaiye," SPP submitted.
SSP Prasad also claimed that on the same day, Umar Khalid in Seelampur said that they had collected weapons.