Delhi riots were meant to destabilise the government, by extending the agitation to across the country and the agitation was pre-planned at a time when then US President Donald Trump (first term) was in India, said Delhi police in its affidavit in the Supreme Court. The affidavit was filed in response to the bail plea of accused Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and others in 2020 Delhi riots case, which the court will hear on Friday (Oct 31).
The police said the conspiracy was to make it more like an “armed rebellion”, to cause nationwide stir.
“The conspiracy hatched, nurtured and executed by the petitioner was to strike at the very heart of the sovereignty and integrity of the country by destroying the communal harmony; instigating the crowd not only to abrogate public order but to instigate them to an extent of armed rebellion,” the Delhi police said in the affidavit on Delhi riots, reported Live Law.
It said that the materials show chats referencing US President Donald Trump, establish that the conspiracy was pre-planned to be executed at the time when the US President was to make an official visit to India. This was done so as to draw the attention of international media and to make the issue of CAA a global issue by portraying it as an act of a pogrom of the Muslims community in India, the affidavit added.
A pan-India unrest was planned
Opposing the bail petitions of the accused, the Delhi police said evidence suggest that the conspiracy sought to be replicated and executed PAN India.
“No liberty of bail can be granted to the petitioners for committing a heinous offence of highest order attacking the very roots of integrity and sovereignty of the country,” the Delhi police said.
The police said that Umar Khalid was the chief conspirator behind the Delhi riots and that he had mentored Sharjeel Imam in planning the violence. Basis WhatsApp chats from December 2019, the police said Khalid was crucial in orchestrating the initial phase of the riots.
The idea of “chakka jam” was Khalid’s brain child, the police said, adding that it was just a mean to provoke the peaceful protests.