Khalid Saifi, the founder of United Against Hate, pleaded for bail at the Delhi High Court on Tuesday, stating there was no evidence to substantiate charges of terrorism related to his involvement in the February 2020 riots. Represented by senior advocate Rebecca John, Saifi contended that his mere presence at a protest site should not be grounds for applying the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The case, presided over by Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur, is set to continue with further hearings on April 16. During this session, the court will also hear from other accused seeking similar relief. Saifi, who has been incarcerated for five years, argued through his counsel that no material evidence suggests he either committed or conspired to commit a terrorist act.
Rebecca John emphasized the absence of actionable evidence against Saifi in her submissions to the court. “There is absolutely nothing which will show that a terrorist act was committed by me or that I conspired to do a terrorist act,” she stated, echoing Saifi’s plea for bail.
John also challenged the prosecution’s approach, accusing them of selective enforcement. She pointed out that while Saifi was arrested, the police had not detained administrators of WhatsApp groups that were found to be objectionable. This, according to John, illustrates a ‘pick and choose’ policy by the authorities.
The legal discussions also touched on the broader implications of delayed trials and the constitutional right to a speedy trial, which Saifi’s defense argues have been compromised in his case. Saifi seeks to establish parity with co-accused who have already been granted bail.
