2019 Jamia violence: Delhi HC seeks police’s response

On Monday, justice Sanjeev Narula sought Delhi Police’s response and listed the matter for further hearing on October 30.

The Delhi High Court on Monday sought a response from the Delhi Police on a petition filed by student activist Asif Iqbal Tanha, challenging a court’s order that framed charges against him in the 2019 Jamia violence case. The case stems from the 2019-2020 protests at Jamia Millia Islamia and Shaheen Bagh that erupted after the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was passed in Parliament on December 11, 2019.

Police personnel outside Jamia Millia Islamia during the protests in 2019-20. (PTI)

On March 7, additional sessions judge Vishal Singh, hearing the case at Saket Court, framed charges against Tanha under several provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Sections 109 (abetment), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 143, 147, 148, 149 (unlawful assembly and rioting), 186, 353, 332, 333 (obstructing and assaulting public servants), 308 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 427, 435 (mischief by fire), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), and 341 (wrongful restraint). He was also charged under Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

ASJ Singh noted that Tanha was named in the FIR as one of the individuals present at the scene of violence and allegedly leading the mob — a claim purportedly corroborated by his mobile number’s call detail records (CDR) and location data.

Besides Tanha, the trial court also framed charges against, Sharjeel Imam, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) scholar, noting that he was not only an instigator but also one of the kingpins behind the larger conspiracy to incite violence during the 2019 anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests in Delhi.

On Monday, justice Sanjeev Narula sought Delhi Police’s response and listed the matter for further hearing on October 30, along with Sharjeel Imam’s petition challenging the same order.

In his petition, argued by advocate Siddharth Satija, Tanha has contended that the trial court’s order was passed without proper application of mind or appreciation of the evidence on record.

Apart from the 2019 Jamia violence case, Tanha is also an accused in the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi riots. In 2021, the Delhi High Court granted him bail—along with fellow activists Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita—citing delays in the trial.