Delhi court sends 10 people arrested for CAA protests to judicial custody till Dec 31

A Delhi court Tuesday sent 10 people, arrested in connection with protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) near Jamia Millia Islamia University here, to judicial custody till December 31. Metropolitan Magistrate Kamran Khan earlier sent 10 arrested people -- Mohammad Hanif, Danish alias Jafar, Sameer Ahmed, Dilshad, Shareef Ahmed, Mohd Danish, Yunus Khan, Jumman, Anal Hassan, Anwar Kala -- to judicial custody.

Police arrested them on Monday for alleged involvement in violence near JMI University here and said that none of them were students. During the hearing, Delhi Police told the court that some locals, instigated by politicians, participated in the violent protests at JMI and damaged property and injured several people.

"Some locals, on the instigation of politicians, damaged property, set on fire three police booths and 'gheraoed' people. Several citizens and police officers were injured in the violent protest," the investigating officer said. The police said the case has been registered against them under various provisions of Indian Penal Code for unlawful assembly, rioting with deadly weapon, obstructing public servant, voluntarily causing hurt, attempt to commit culpable homicide and entering into criminal conspiracy with common intention and for using explosive substance.

It said they have also been booked under sections of the Prevention of Defacement of Property Act. The counsel for the accused said they have been falsely implicated and made a target by Delhi Police to show something.

The counsel appearing for Sameer, one of the accused, said that he is a bike mechanic and was arrested from his house. "Some police officers came, signalled to Sameer to come to them and took him away to the police station. The camera footage from outside of his house can corroborate this fact," the lawyer said.

The counsel for another accused, Hanif, said the accused have been previously arrested for petty crimes and because of that they have been made a target this time. "Locals have been nabbed as something should be done. My client has been made a target. He is a citizen of this country and his rights should be protected. They have been previously arrested for petty crimes. One can clearly see the connection here. They have been arrested to show something," the lawyer told the court.

When the Judge asked the investigating officer on what evidence they have been arrested, he said, "There are statements of police officers who were involved in identifying the people who had caused violence. There were also disclosure statements of the accused." The accused, however, denied that their statements were recorded.

The FIR also named seven others, including local politicians and student leaders of JMI University in connection with the case but they have not been arrested yet. Mohammad Hanif (22) drives an auto and delivers building materials. Danish alias Jafar (21) works as a plumber. Sameer Ahmed (26) works as a bike mechanic. Dilshad (21) is a daily wage labourer. Shareef Ahmed (34) works as a vegetable vendor and Mohd Danish (22) fits solar panels, Jumman works as in a chicken shop and Anwar Kala works as a rag pickers.

Two of them, Sameer and Hanif moved their bail plea before the court. The court will take up the matter on Wednesday for further hearing. All of them belong from the lower income strata of the society and claimed before the court that while some of them were arrested from their homes, others from their shops.

The university had virtually turned into a battlefield on Sunday as police entered the campus and also used force following the protest that led to violence and arson in which four DTC buses, 100 private vehicles and 10 police bikes were damaged. The situation remained tense in the university premises on Tuesday as protesters, including students and local residents, converged outside the varsity holding tricolour and placards to continue their demonstration against CAA and NRC.