COURT DISMISSES JAMIA STUDENT’S BAIL PLEA IN DELHI RIOTS CASE

Press Trust Of India

A Delhi court has dismissed the bail plea of Jamia Millia Islamia student Asif Iqbal Tanha, arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, in connection with a case related to larger conspiracy in north-east Delhi riots in February, saying he allegedly played an active role in the entire conspiracy.

Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat said there were reasonable grounds for believing that the allegations against Tanha were prima facie true.

Tanha was arrested in the case for allegedly being part of a “premeditated conspiracy” in the riots. “...I deem it fit to state in unequivocal terms that there is freedom to protest available to all the citizens of the country but that is subject to reasonable restrictions,” the judge said in his order passed on October 26.

The court added that according to the charge sheet, Tanha had allegedly procured a SIM card on fake ID deliberately, which was later given to co-accused Safoora Zargar and used in JCC Whatsapp group.

“Thus, the accused Asif Iqbal Tanha was closely connected with Sharjeel Imam, Nadeem Khan, Zargar, etc. The accused played a very active role in the entire conspiracy of organizing the so-called protest at the protest sites which resulted in riots, killing numerous people besides injuries and destruction of property,” it said. Imam has also been arrested in the case but not chargesheeted yet.