New Delhi: A Delhi court has issued a sharp warning to the accused in the Delhi riots conspiracy case, including Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and Tahir Hussain, for delaying the trial by seeking unnecessary adjournments. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai, in an order passed on October 4, expressed dissatisfaction with the repeated delays. He noted that during a previous hearing, it had been agreed that arguments on charges would proceed on a day-to-day basis, but the defence counsel failed to be prepared when the case was taken up again last week. The court found this lack of preparedness unacceptable.
Judge Bajpai emphasized that the accused had been granted ample time to prepare but were still not ready to address the charges. “It is surprising that on the last date of hearing the court specifically noted that the matter shall be heard on charge on a day-to-day basis…but still none of the counsel is ready to address arguments,” the court stated.
The judge warned that any further delays would be taken seriously, and the accused should not cause unnecessary postponements in the proceedings.
The trial involves activists such as Khalid Saifi, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Ishrat Jahan, Safoora Zargar, and Natasha Narwal, alongside former municipal councilor Tahir Hussain charged under UAPA in connection with the February 2020 Delhi riots.
The court has now rescheduled the hearing to October 21, and made it clear that no further adjournments will be granted.
Meanwhile, on October 7, the bail hearing for Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and others was scheduled to be heard by a division bench of the Delhi High Court, consisting of Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Shalinder Kaur. However, the hearing was postponed to November 25, following the passing of Justice Navin Chawla’s father on October 6.
