On Tuesday, the Delhi High Court postponed the bail hearing for Khalid Saifi, who is an accused in a case related to the 2020 Delhi riots under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Due to the absence of the division bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain today, the proceedings have been adjourned to February 29.

On February 6, the bench raised concerns over the lengthy arguments presented by the prosecution during Khalid Saifi's bail plea hearing, expressing dissatisfaction with what appeared to be never-ending arguments from the prosecution.

The bench emphasized the distinction between adjudicating bail pleas and appeals against convictions or acquittals, stressing the importance of concise arguments during the proceedings.

During the previous hearing, Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad cited WhatsApp chats and other details from the chargesheet to highlight the alleged involvement of several accused individuals in the purported riot conspiracy.

However, the bench signaled its unwillingness to engage in lengthy discussions. As the prosecution delved into the content of WhatsApp chats purportedly linked to the riots, the court urged the prosecution to provide clear evidence establishing a direct link to the violence.

Highlighting the importance of expeditious resolution, the bench had reiterated that the court cannot prolong the hearing indefinitely, stating, "We need to see the matter on merit... We cannot hear it for days."

Previously, the Trial Court's Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat rejected Saifi's bail plea, asserting that the allegations against him appeared prima facie true.

Senior Advocate Rebecca John contended that Khalid Saifi was falsely implicated, asserting that the prosecution's case lacked substantiation and evidence. She argued that the prosecution relied on a WhatsApp group named "DPSG," but Khalid Saifi's involvement in the group was peripheral and couldn't be construed as evidence of any criminal conspiracy.

SPP Amit Prasad asserted that Khalid Saifi was a member of multiple WhatsApp groups, including DPSG, CAB Team, and United Against Hate (UAH) Okhla. He alleged that Khalid attended a meeting in Jangpura, Delhi, alongside Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, and others. Additionally, it was claimed that Khalid Saifi participated in a meeting on December 26, 2019, at Lodhi Colony, following which DPSG was formed on December 28, 2019.