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The Delhi Police connected Wednesday (December 10, 2025) told the Supreme Court that the speeches delivered by the accused had instigated “choking of indispensable supplies” successful the nationalist superior and amounted to a “clear violent act”, arsenic the apical tribunal reserved its judgement connected the bail pleas of activists Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and 5 others.
Additional Solicitor-General S.V. Raju, appearing for the police, argued earlier a Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria that the calls for “chakka jams” were not innocuous governmental slogans but directives intended to disrupt indispensable services. Such disruption, helium submitted, threatened the nation’s “economic security” and constituted a “terrorist act” nether Section 15 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
“The speeches amusement what was planned. There were conspiratorial meetings wherever it was decided that a chakka jam would instrumentality place… this threatens the economical information of the country,” Mr. Raju said.
However, referring to the defence’s submissions, Justice Kumar observed that the grounds cited by the prosecution appeared to pull Section 13 of the UAPA, which penalises unlawful activities, alternatively than a violent act. “How bash you nexus it (the speeches) to the existent violence?” helium asked.
Mr. Raju maintained that these were not “mere speeches” but exhortations that were “followed by action”, culminating successful 53 deaths and hundreds of injuries during the riots. “They wanted to enforce a chakka jam and halt each essentials of life… it is not conscionable a speech,” helium said.
The 7 accused person been charged with conspiring to orchestrate the unrest. They person challenged the Delhi High Court’s September 2 bid denying them bail, which had characterised their alleged roles arsenic “grave” and indicative of a coordinated conspiracy down the 2020 riots successful the nationalist capital. The High Court had observed that the accused had mobilised protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) successful December 2019 done speeches, pamphlets and WhatsApp groups, which subsequently evolved into a conspiracy to instigate violence.
Earlier, Mr. Raju had played a compilation of videos showing Mr. Imam delivering what the prosecution described arsenic “inflammatory speeches” during the nationwide protests against the CAA. He had drawn the court’s attraction to Mr. Imam’s notation to the “chicken neck” corridor, the constrictive agelong connecting the Northeast to the remainder of India, and his remarks astir choking supplies.
Relying connected these speeches, Mr. Raju had contended that comments advocating a blockade of the corridor were acts intended to endanger the sovereignty of India and would truthful represent a violent enactment nether the UAPA.
Per contra, elder advocator Siddharth Dave, appearing for Mr. Imam, had argued that the prosecution was relying connected selective excerpts. “I admit these are my speeches. But snippets person been shown. If I said ‘cut disconnected Assam’, lone Section 13 of the UAPA (unlawful activity) is attracted. Where is the further worldly to infer Section 15?” helium had asked.
Imam’s speeches ‘attributable’ to different accused
During the hearing, Mr. Raju besides apprised the Bench that, successful presumption of established judicial precedent, Mr. Imam’s speeches could beryllium attributed to the different accused and relied upon arsenic grounds against them successful enactment of the conspiracy charge.
“Acts of 1 conspirator tin beryllium attributed to others. Sharjeel Imam’s speeches tin beryllium attributed to Umar Khalid. Sharjeel Imam’s lawsuit volition beryllium considered arsenic grounds against the others,” helium told the Bench.
Further, addressing Mr. Khalid’s alleged relation successful the conspiracy, Mr. Raju submitted that the defence had “misstated” that helium was not an head of the Delhi Protest Support Group WhatsApp group, which the prosecution claims was utilized to program the riots. Citing statements of protected witnesses, helium argued that Mr. Khalid had “deliberately planned” to permission Delhi earlier the unit erupted successful bid to deflect responsibility.
“He was contiguous successful each conspiratorial meetings. He was the mastermind, arsenic helium was supervising and receiving each the information,” Mr. Raju said.
After proceeding the submissions, the Bench reserved its judgement and directed the counsels to record their written submissions and different compilations by December 18. It besides indicated that it was inclined to pronounce its determination earlier the tribunal closes for the wintertime recess connected December 19.
