2 Jamia students booked under UAPA in riots case

The suspects Meeran Haider and Safoora Zargar are in judicial custody in connection with the case registered against them in February.

The Delhi Police have invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against two students of Jamia Millia Islamia who are in custody for allegedly hatching a conspiracy to incite communal riots in Delhi in February.

The Delhi Police have invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against two students of Jamia Millia Islamia (AP file photo)

The suspects Meeran Haider and Safoora Zargar are in judicial custody in connection with the case registered against them in February. A senior police officer, requesting anonymity, said when Zargar moved a bail application the police informed the court about the inclusion of the UAPA as a ground to deny bail. “The two students have already been booked for sedition, murder, attempt to murder and promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and rioting,” the officer said.

Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act is aimed at effective prevention of unlawful activities associations in India. A person charged under the law can be jailed for up to seven years. Haider, 35, is a PhD student and the president of RJD youth wing’s Delhi unit; Zargar is an MPhil student of Jamia Millia Islamia.

Akram Khan, Haider’s lawyer, said UAPA has not been invoked against any particular individual. He said it has been added to the FIR against all accused. “We got to know about this yesterday and will soon take appropriate legal action on the matter.”