Latest news with #TasleemAhmed
India Gazette
09-07-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Delhi Riots: Delhi HC reserves order on Tasleem Ahmed's bail plea
New Delhi [India], July 9 (ANI): The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its order on the bail plea of Tasleem Ahmed, who is an accused in the larger Conspiracy of Delhi riots 2020 case. He has sought bail on several grounds, including the delay in trial and his prolonged incarceration in custody. His bail plea was opposed by the Delhi Police, contending that the delay could not be the sole ground for bail. The division bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar reserved the order after hearing the arguments by both sides. Advocate Mehmood Pracha appeared for petitioner Tasleem Ahmed, whose bail plea was dismissed by the trial court. The counsel submitted that the petitioner has been in custody for the last five years, and the trial has not yet commenced. Advocate Parcha also submitted that no adjournment was ever sought by the petitioner before the High Court. He also submitted that despite orders from the Supreme Court and the Delhi High Court, the matter is not being heard on a day-to-day basis. It was further argued that the arguments on the charge on behalf of the petitioner have been completed. On the other hand, the Delhi Police opposed the bail plea, submitting that delay cannot be the sole ground for granting bail in UAPA cases. He referred to several judgments passed by the courts. Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad appeared on behalf of the Delhi Police. He argued that there is an embargo on Section 43(D), which applies to the consideration of bail in UAPA cases. This proviso provides that bail cannot be granted without testing the material filed by the investigation agency against the accused. During the arguments, SPP also referred to the notice on conspiracy to riot. He submitted that a conspiracy was hatched, and consequently, 53 people died. On March 25, the High Court had asked the Delhi Police to file a note on the role of the accused, Tasleem Ahmed. Earlier, Advocate Mehmood Pracha had submitted that Tasleem Ahmed's case was different from that of the other co-accused persons. On February 22, 2024, the trial court dismissed his bail plea. Earlier, he had sought regular bail on the grounds of parity with three co-accused, namely Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, and Asif Iqbal Tanha, in relation to a larger conspiracy surrounding the 2020 Delhi Riots. Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, and Asif Iqbal Tanha were granted regular bail by the Delhi High Court on June 15, 2021, after their appeals against the trial court order were allowed. Special Judge Sameer Bajpai stated that the earlier bail application of accused Tasleem Ahmed was rejected by the predecessor court on March 16, 2022, in which the court held the allegations against the accused to be prima facie true. Hence, the embargo created by Section 43D of UA(P)A applies to the grant of bail to the accused, as well as the embargo contained in Section 437 Cr.P.C., the court held. (ANI)
Indian Express
08-07-2025
- Politics
- Indian Express
2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case: For how long can a person be kept in jail? asks Delhi HC as accused claims delay in trial
For how long can a person be kept in jail? A Delhi High Court bench orally remarked on Tuesday as it heard the bail plea of one of the accused in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. The High Court noted that 'five years have gone by', and yet the arguments on the charge remain to be completed. The court was hearing the plea by Tasleem Ahmed, the owner of a coaching centre and a resident of South Delhi's Sangam Vihar. He was arrested by the Delhi Police Special Cell in June 2020 under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. A trial court had refused his bail plea last February, even as Ahmed had sought relief on the grounds of parity, given that three other accused in the same case — Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, and Asif Tanha Iqbal — were granted bail. Taken up by a bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar on Tuesday, advocate Mehmood Pracha, appearing for Ahmed, cited a delay in trial for seeking bail. Ahmed has already spent five years in jail, the counsel highlighted. After Ahmed's counsel pointed out that he has not delayed the trial and that he also completed his arguments on the charges in 10-15 minutes within a day, the bench, addressing Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad, inquired orally, 'Five years have gone…even arguments on the charge is not 700 witnesses, (for) how much time can a person be kept inside?' The court is due to hear the matter further on Wednesday. Earlier in January, another two-judge division bench of the High Court, while dealing with a bunch of bail pleas of the accused, including student activists Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, and others, the bench had orally inquired from the prosecution if only setting up a protest site is enough cause for attracting offences under UAPA. Apart from Ahmed, bail pleas of eight other accused, who have sought bail in the larger conspiracy case, are before the Delhi High Court. They are facing allegations of a pre-planned conspiracy to allegedly cause riots in Northeast Delhi between February 23 and February 25 in 2020. The accused have been booked for offences under the Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Arms Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, and have been in jail for over five years now.
India Gazette
19-05-2025
- Politics
- India Gazette
Delhi Riots Conspiracy: Trial Court seeks police reply on Tasleem Ahmed's interim bail
New Delhi [India], May 19 (ANI): Delhi's Karkardooma Court on Monday directed the police to file a response regarding the interim bail plea of accused Tasleem Ahmed in the larger conspiracy case related to the Delhi riots. Tasleem Ahmed has requested a 15-day interim bail, citing his son's admission to a new school for the upcoming academic session. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai has issued a notice to Delhi Police, scheduled the hearing for May 22, and directed verification of the grounds presented by the accused. Tasleem Ahmed's regular bail plea is pending before the Delhi High Court, scheduled for a hearing today in the second half. Previously, the Division Bench directed Delhi Police's Special Public Prosecutor (SPP), Amit Prasad, to submit a concise note outlining Ahmed's alleged role and the foundational material against him, citing the voluminous case records. Ahmed, along with Abdul Khalid Saifi, Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Tahir Hussain, and others, is accused in the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi riots. They have been charged under the anti-terror law, UAPA, in connection with the violence that erupted in Northeast Delhi. On February 22, 2024, Ahmed's regular bail plea was rejected by the trial court. He had sought bail on grounds of parity with co-accused Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, and Asif Iqbal Tanha, who were part of the alleged same conspiracy case. Narwal, Kalita, and Tanha secured regular bail from the Delhi High Court on June 15, 2021, after successfully challenging the trial court's decision. Trial Court Judge noted that Ahmed's previous bail plea had been dismissed by the predecessor court on March 16, 2022, which found the allegations against him prima facie true. Consequently, the restrictions under Section 43D of UAPA and Section 437 of Cr.P.C. applied, barring his release on bail. Around 20 individuals, including activists Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, and former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, have been charged for their alleged role in orchestrating the larger conspiracy behind the riots. (ANI)
