Congress slams Delhi police & Centre for Salman Khurshid's mention in riot chargesheet

Slamming the Delhi police and the Modi government, several senior Congress leaders criticised the mention of senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid in a chargesheet on the 'conspiracy' probe in the Delhi riots. The leaders - Ahmed Patel, Randeep Surjewala, Jairam Ramesh and KC Venugopal have highlighted Khurshid's impeccable record, dismissing the allegations levied by the Delhi police. Alleging that the Centre was influencing the probe, Congress state that this was an attempt to mislead the nation.

Delhi riots: Police mentions politicians Salman Khurshid, Brinda Karat in chargesheet

Congress slams Khurshid's name mentioned in chargesheet

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Khurshid, Karat, Yadav, Bhushan mentioned

Earlier in the day, sources reported that Delhi police have mentioned senior Congress leader Salman Khurshid, CPI(M) leader Brinda Karat, Swaraj Abhiyan chief Yogendra Yadav, Kavita Krishnan in the 17,000-page chargesheet filed on the 'conspiracy probe' into the Delhi riots. Delhi police has charged 15 anti-CAA protestors for 'conspiracy' which led to the Delhi riots, booking them under the stringent  Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various sections of IPC. Apart from the 15, six other accused - including Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam are currently under judicial custody.

As per sources, the leaders were allegedly named by a protected witness stating that they gave 'provocative speeches' at an anti-CAA protest site. Moreover, ex-councillor Ishrat Jahan - who has been charged - has also named these leaders for giving speeches 'against CAA/NRC' at Khureji Khas protest site, after being invited by herself and another accused - Khalid Saifi to the site, reported PTI. These statements were made by Jahan and the witness in her disclosure statement to Delhi police before a Magistrate.

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Delhi riots conspiracy chargesheet

Comprising mainly of anti-CAA protestors, Delhi police has charged 'United Against Hate' chief Khalid Saifi, Congress ex-councillor Ishrat Jahan, ex-AAP councillor Tahir Hussain; RJD youth wing’s Meeran Haider, Pinjda Tod activists Gulfisha Fatima, Safoora Zargar, Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita in its 17,000-page chargesheet. Six other accused like - Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Danish, Parvez, Ilyas and Faizal Khan have been arrested but not named in the chargesheet. The Delhi police informed that it has listed 747 witnesses and recorded 51 people's statements, as per reports, in connection with the Delhi riots which killed 53 and injured over 200.

It added that investigation was mainly done based on call detail records and WhatsApp messages of the mentioned individuals, claiming that the blocking of traffic by anti-CAA was the 'first indication of a conspiracy'. Moreover, Delhi Commissioner S N Shrivastava has claimed that they had not found any proof yet of the involvement of pro-CAA-NRC protesters in the riots, when asked about BJP leader Kapil Mishra's inflammatory speech, according to PTI. The Delhi police has remanded Umar Khalid to judicial custody till October 22, alleging that he met with suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and Saifi on January 8 to allegedly 'hatch a conspiracy' during Trump's visit.

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