‘Riots accused threatened country’s unity, integrity and security’

Prosecution wraps up arguments against combined bail plea of Umar Khalid, others

Opposing former JNU student leader Umar Khalid’s bail plea in the Delhi riots ‘larger conspiracy’ case, the prosecution on Thursday told a city court that the accused had made all attempts to “threaten the unity, integrity and security” of the country and that it was the public which suffered and not the “conspirators”.

Wrapping up his arguments against the combined bail plea of Khalid and several other accused in the case, Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad told Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat that the “conspirators” also “raised questions on the sovereignty of the nation”. The prosecutor was justifying the inclusion of Section 15 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act – defining ‘terrorist act’ – in the case.

“There are deaths and injuries of persons. We have seen there is loss and destruction of public and private property and also disruption of essential services. We have seen there is use of bomb, firearms and lethal weapons,” SPP Prasad told the court.