Delhi HC issues notice to police on plea of Jamia violence accused Asif Iqbal

The case stems from 2019-2020 protests at Jamia Millia Islamia and Shaheen Bagh following passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Parliament on December 11, 2019

The Delhi high court on Monday issued notice to the city police in student activist Asif Iqbal Tanha’s plea against a lower court’s order framing charges against him in the 2019 Jamia violence case.

The Delhi high court. (File Photo)

The case stems from 2019-2020 protests at Jamia Millia Islamia and Shaheen Bagh following passage of the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in Parliament on December 11, 2019.

On March 7, additional sessions judge Vishal Singh, presiding over the case at Saket court, had framed charges under various provisions of Indian Penal Code (IPC) Section 109 (abetment of an offence), Section 120B (criminal conspiracy), sections 143, 147, 148, 149 (unlawful assembly and rioting), sections 186, 353, 332, 333, 308, 427, 435, 323, 341 (various charges related to assault, obstruction of public servants, grievous hurt, and damage to property) and sections 3/4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

The judge had observed that Aasif was named in the FIR as one of the persons who was present at the spot of violence and was leading the mob, which was also confirmed through the CDR and location of his mobile number.

On Monday, justice Sanjeev Narula sought Delhi police’s response and fixed October 30 as the next date of hearing, along with Shajreel’s petition against the same order.

In his petition, argued by advocate Siddharth Satija, Tanha argued that the order was passed without any due application of mind and appreciation of evidence on record.

Besides the 2019 Jamia violence case, Tanha is also an accused in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. The Delhi high court in 2021 granted bail to Tanha along with Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita in the conspiracy case, on the grounds of delay in trial.