‘When intellectuals become terrorists…’: Delhi Police to Supreme Court in Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam bail pleas

CAA protests were timed with US President Donald Trump's visit to India to get international media coverage, ASG SV Raju said

The Delhi Police on Thursday told the Supreme Court that intellectuals turning into terrorists pose an even greater threat than ground operatives, as it strongly opposed the bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others in the February 2020 riots case.

The police also said there is now a growing trend of doctors and engineers engaging in anti-national activities.

Appearing for the Delhi Police, additional solicitor general SV Raju argued before Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria that the accused were responsible for the trial’s delay and should not be allowed to rely on it for relief.

Raju further presented videos in the Supreme Court showing Imam purportedly making “inflammatory” anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) speeches.

The videos showed Imam delivering speeches at Chakhand, Jamia, Aligarh, and Asansol in 2019 and 2020 ahead of the February 2020 riots in the national capital.

Pointing out that Imam is an engineering graduate, the advocate said, "Nowadays there is a trend that doctors, engineers are not doing their professions but engaging in anti-national activities." Raju was further quoted as saying by PTI, "It's not a simple protest. These are violent protests. They are talking about blockades."

At this juncture, Justice Kumar asked if the speeches were part of the chargesheet, to which Raju replied in the affirmative.

The ASG said CAA protests were timed with US President Donald Trump's visit to India to get international media coverage.

"The ultimate intention is regime change. CAA protests were a red-herring, the real purpose was regime change, create economic deprivation and create chaos across the country. The riots were deliberately made to coincide with the visit of US President Donald Trump. These so-called intellectuals are more dangerous than the ground-level terrorists," Raju said.

Khalid, Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, and Rehman were booked under the UAPA, the stringent anti-terror law, and provisions of the erstwhile IPC for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the 2020 riots, which left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

(With PTI inputs)