Umar Khalid calls 2020 riots FIR a 'joke', alleges evidence fabrication

Twenty people, including activists Sharjeel Imam and Khalid Saifi, and former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, have been booked for their alleged involvement in the "larger conspiracy" to incite riots

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Activist Umar Khalid on Thursday opposed the framing of charges in the 2020 Delhi riots "larger conspiracy" case and told a Delhi court that he has spent five years in custody in this "joke of an FIR".

He alleged that evidence was fabricated to implicate him.

The arguments on framing of charges were being held before Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai.

Khalid's counsel, senior advocate Trideep Pais, said, "I have spent five years in custody in this joke of an FIR. This FIR doesn't have the sanctity of law."  The case is being investigated by Delhi Police's Special Cell.

Pais said the FIR, in which the prosecution claimed that 51 innocent people died, was unnecessary as these deaths are being probed separately.

"The deaths of those people are being investigated by 751 different FIRs," the senior counsel said.

He alleged that the prosecution initially decided to implicate a person and then targeted him by fabricating documents and filing the chargesheet.

"You first decide 'isko pakadna hai' (this person has to be caught)... then reverse engineering takes place," Pais said.

"There are no linkages (with the actual offences) and we are far away from recovery," he added.

Pais cited various orders of trial courts regarding the 2020 riots in northeast Delhi where the judges were critical of the investigative agency while acquitting the accused persons.

"Please see the falsehood of the chargesheet, the manner in which it peddles lies. This (Khalid) is a person who was not there," he said.

The court posted the matter for further proceedings on September 17.

Khalid was arrested in the case on September 13, 2020.

Twenty people, including activists Sharjeel Imam and Khalid Saifi, and former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, have been booked for their alleged involvement in the "larger conspiracy" to incite the riots.