New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Wednesday asked the accused in the alleged “larger conspiracy” case linked to the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots to furnish their permanent addresses.
A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria passed the direction while hearing the petitions filed by student leaders Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, along with Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed and Mohd Saleem Khan, who are charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
“Give the present address of each of them,” said the Justice Kumar-led Bench. When senior advocate Siddharth Dave, appearing for one of the petitioners, in a lighter vein said that the “present address is jail,” the apex court clarified that it required the permanent address of every accused.
“Erstwhile address,” the Justice Kumar-led Bench said, asking Dave to communicate the direction to all counsels. “I’ll ask them to furnish,” responded Dave.
The top court also expressed concern over the lengthy arguments, remarking that the bail hearing has extended beyond what is ordinarily expected in such matters.
“You are presenting a bail matter as if it were a second appeal,” Justice Kumar-led Bench observed, while setting a schedule for the remaining rejoinder submissions.
“Arguments have been advanced by both sides substantially. We are of the view that a time schedule is required to be fixed. Oral arguments shall not exceed 15 minutes each, and clarification by the ASG shall not exceed 30 minutes,” the apex court recorded in its order.
The matter will be taken up for further hearing on December 9.
When Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S.V. Raju informed the Justice Kumar-led Bench about his unavailability on that date, the apex court said it would first complete the petitioners’ rejoinder submissions before accommodating him on December 10.
The Supreme Court asked senior advocates Siddharth Dave and Salman Khurshid, representing Sharjeel Imam and Shifa, respectively, to ensure that all defence counsels submit the required address details to the Court Master before the next date of listing.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had dismissed the bail pleas of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and several others accused in the 2020 city riots “larger conspiracy” case.
(IANS)
