Post by : Rameen Ariff

In a crucial development, Delhi Police has unveiled alarming concerns regarding a rising trend of educated professionals reportedly exploiting state-funded education for anti-national purposes. This revelation emerged during the Supreme Court's examination of bail requests for activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and others linked to the 2020 Delhi riots.

Representing the Delhi Police, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju shared with the Supreme Court that individuals who benefit from governmental educational initiatives, such as doctors and engineers, are allegedly plunging into perilous anti-national endeavors. He cautioned, “When intellectuals morph into terrorists, they become more perilous than those actively engaged in violent acts.”

The Delhi Police referenced recent troubling events, including the Red Fort bombing and the identification of a Jaish-e-Mohammed-backed “white collar” terror module operating through Al-Falah University in Haryana. Early this month, authorities confiscated approximately 2,900 kilograms of explosives from a physician. This was followed by Dr. Umar Nabi allegedly detonating a car near the Red Fort, claiming 14 lives. Several doctors have since been apprehended in relation to these schemes.

The Supreme Court bench, featuring Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria, deliberated on the bail appeals of Imam, Khalid, and the other individuals implicated. Both activists are charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for purportedly plotting to instigate the northeast Delhi riots in February 2020, specifically concerning the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). These disturbances resulted in over 50 fatalities and more than 700 injuries.

During the proceedings, the Delhi Police accentuated that the violence was “orchestrated, pre-planned, and well-designed,” contradicting the notion of spontaneity. Video evidence was shown depicting Sharjeel Imam making inflammatory speeches against the CAA, which grants Indian citizenship to persecuted religious minorities from Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and Pakistan.

ASG Raju further asserted that the activists’ overarching scheme encompassed obstructing supplies to Delhi and economically strangling Assam's “chicken’s neck” corridor—a vital land link connecting India's northeast to the mainland. He suggested that the timing of these riots coincided with former U.S. President Donald Trump's visit to India in February 2020, indicating a planned initiative.

The remarks from Delhi Police highlight an overarching anxiety regarding the exploitation of professional and educational entitlements to engage in activities jeopardizing national security. The Supreme Court is yet to reach a verdict on the bail requests of the implicated activists.

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