SC rejects plea of Delhi Police challenging bail granted to man in riots case

The Supreme Court on Monday rejected a plea by the Delhi Police against the bail of a man accused of selling a SIM card on a fake ID to a Jamia Millia Islamia University student. The SIM card was allegedly used for inciting violence during the protests here in February against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).

A bench presided by Justice Ashok Bhushan rejected the appeal of the police against the October 23 order of the Delhi High Court granting bail to the accused.

The HC had then noted that the police have not shown that he was party to a conspiracy to organise protests against the CAA.

The police had invoked the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) against the accused alleging that the SIM card obtained on a fake ID was used to coordinate protests against the CAA.

However, the high court had said in its order that there was no allegation against the accused, Faizan Khan, that he had "engaged in any form of terror-funding or such other ancillary activity".

It had also said the embargo under the UAPA against the grant of bail would not apply in the instant case as the probe agency has not shown that the accused was party to any conspiracy to organise protests against the CAA.