Inflammatory speeches by JCC members led to Delhi riots: Police tells court

New Delhi: Delhi Police has held Jamia Co-ordination Committee (JCC) members responsible for violent riots in the city, claiming that inflammatory speeches by them instigated the mob which eventually resulted in communal violence in North-East Delhi.

The Delhi police special cell told the court that members of JCC  incited people at different protest sites, created blockades and caused the riots in north east Delhi early this year.

The Special cell of Delhi Police made these submissions while opposing the bail plea of JCC media co-ordinator Safoora Zargar, through video conferencing.

Additional Sessions judge Dharmendra Rana, after hearing the arguments on the bail plea, listed the matter for hearing on June 4.

The police claimed that Safoora Zargar, a Jamia Milia Islamia student had allegedly blocked a road near Jaffrabad metro station during the anti-CAA protests and instigated people that led to the riots in the area. She was also accused of making inflammatory speeches to incite communal violence in the city.

Zargar, an MPhil student of Jamia Millia Islamia University, is pregnant and currently lodged in Tihar jail under judicial custody in the case.

During the proceedings, Special Judge Dharmender Rana also sought to know the link between Unlawful Activites Prevention Act (UAPA) under which Zargar and the other accused have been arrested and the road blockades: “What is the connecting link between UAPA and road blocks. UAPA cannot be invoked for blocking roads. Show me the link”, reported a leading daily.

Pinjra Tod activist Natasha Narwal in police custody

Meanwhile, Pinjra Tod activist Natasha Narwal, booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for her alleged role in inciting the communal riots was sent to police custody. She was produced before a special judge today.

Devangana Kalita, another accused, was sent to three day police custody in connection with the FIR filed in the Daryaganj violence case.

Narwal is the seventh person to be booked under UAPA in the case in which suspended Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain and two Jamia students – Meeran Haider and Safoora Zargar – are already in judicial custody.

About Jamia Co-ordination Committee

The JCC is a group of former and current students of the university that came together to coordinate the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act protests outside the varsity.

Till now, two members of JCC have been arrested in the case. The riots, between February 24-26, left at least 53 people dead.