Bail denied to Jamia student in riots case

Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat denied bail to Haider, noting that there are reasonable grounds for believing that the accusation against him is prima facie true.

The court said Haider’s lawyers arguing that the accused has worked on socio­political issues and has a lot of qualifications, including a PhD, is not a relevant consideration while deciding the bail application.

On the argument that Haider was not present at the spot during the riots, the court held that “in a case of a conspiracy, it is not necessary that every accused should be present at the spot.”

Special public prosecutor Amit Prasad had argued that at the stage of bail, “evidence collected by the investigating agency in reference to the accusation against the accused, must prevail unless contradicted and overcome or disproved by other evidence and on the face of it, shows the complicity of the such accused in the commission of the offence.”

Haider is accused by police of setting up anti-CAA protest sites across Delhi and giving provocative speeches there. He has also been accused of raising funds for the riots.

His lawyers have argued that even taken at face value, the allegations don’t disclose any crime committed under UAPA.

The defence counsel argued that “no material has been placed on record to even prima facie show that any money was received or used by the accused for financing the unfortunate riots.”