Delhi riots case: Special public prosecutor withdraws resignation; New arguments begin on January 15; Key points
New Delhi: Amit Prasad, the special public prosecutor representing the Delhi Police, has withdrawn his resignation in the cases related to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. Prasad, who is known for his role
New Delhi: Amit Prasad, the special public prosecutor representing the Delhi Police, has withdrawn his resignation in the cases related to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. Prasad, who is known for his role in the prosecutions related to the communal riots, appeared before Judge Sameer Bajpai for additional hearings during a hearing on a case on the alleged larger conspiracy behind the riots.
Northeast Delhi riots 2020
The 2020 Northeast Delhi riots marked a dark chapter in the city’s history, resulting in loss of life and widespread destruction. The riots, which took place in February 2020, were sparked by clashes between two groups over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). The violence lasted for several days and left a trail of destruction.
After serving as a special public prosecutor in the riots cases for over three and a half years, Prasad submitted his resignation to Delhi Lieutenant Governor VK Saxena on December 15, 2023. However, he had chosen to continue as special prosecutor. in the Shraddha Walkar murder case. Citing repeated requests from authorities, Prasad said, “I have reconsidered my decision. I have decided to withdraw my resignation and will continue to appear in the (riot) cases.”
During the recent hearing, two other special prosecutors joined Prasad, indicating that the prosecutor’s strength, seriousness and efforts in the case have increased, an official said. Four special prosecutors have resigned since hearing the riot cases began.
The court scheduled the case for Jan. 15 for fresh arguments on pleas filed by five suspects in the larger conspiracy case, seeking disclosure of the investigation status before proceeding with arguments on fabricating charges.
Court rejects Khalid Saifi’s plea for use of seized mobile phone
A Delhi court a few months ago rejected the plea of Khalid Saifi, the founder of United Against Hate, who sought use of his mobile phone seized during the investigation into his alleged involvement in the conspiracy of the riots in northeast Delhi in 2020. The court, headed by Special Judge Amitabh Rawat, cited the relevance of information stored on the phone to the case as the reason for the denial.
It also expressed concern that issuing a dual SIM card could lead to data deletion or blocking, especially on WhatsApp.
“Applicant Khalid Saifi’s mobile phone and SIM card were seized by the Investigating Officer (IO) in the present case and contain information relevant to this case. Therefore, the said mobile phone or the SIM card cannot be released to the applicant,” the judge said.
He further highlighted the potential risks associated with issuing a dual SIM card.
In his plea, Saifi mentioned the difficulties his family faced in accessing essential services due to the seizure of the SIM card. However, the investigating officer refuted this argument and suggested that essential services could be obtained through an alternative telephone number by changing it with the service provider. The court, considering the seized number’s connections to WhatsApp groups and individuals involved in the alleged conspiracy, upheld its decision to reject the application.
(With input from agencies)