‘ANTI-CAA protests were held to destabilise government’

Zargar has approached the HC challenging the order denying her bail for a 3rd time

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Monday filed a status report of the probe against Jamia student and anti-caa activist Safoora Zargar, in response to the bail plea filed by the Jamia Coordination Committee Members. Interestingly, the status report says that the activist was “aiming to destroy, destabilize and disintegrate the Government of India” so that it could be forced to withdraw the controversial piece of legislation.

The police claimed that organising a road-blockade in

Jafrabad as part of the anti-caa protest duing the time of US President Donald Trump's visit was done “to attract international attention” and “propogate a narrative that the government of the day was anti-muslim”. The Delhi Police claimed that the riots were started in pursuance of this “design”. Significantly, the police also argued that the burden of proof now lay with Zargar to prove her innocence. The Special Cell submitted to the court that “unless evidence in rebuttal is presented (which can only be at trial) she cannot claim to be innocent of the acquisition made against her, as alleged or otherwise, in her petition,” essentially arguing that because she cannot prove her innocence until trial, she should be kept in jail till then. Moreover, the police argued that Cargar's advanced stage of pregnancy was not grounds enough to seek bail. It maintained that there is no exception carved out for pregnant inmates, who are accused of such heinous crime, to be released on bail merely because of pregnancy and said that 39 deliveries have taken place in Delhi prisons in the last 10 years.

However, the bail rejection that Zargar has challenged, itself is significant. The trial court that had denied her bail for the third time, had held that the only prima facie evidence police have been able to gather was that of the fact that she had helped organise protests. The judge had however jumped to the conclusion that the protest had “instigated the riots”. Curiously, the police here is accusing Zargar of making speeches that instigated a mob to attack her and many others like her who were organising ant-caa protests in the north-east Delhi area, essentially meaning that she had incited a mob to attack herself and her fellow protesters. While Solicitor-general Tushar Mehta appeared for Delhi Police in the matter, the court listed the matter for hearing on Tuesday next.