Delhi HC reserves order in Devangana Kalita bail plea in a Delhi riots case

The Delhi High Court today reserved its order in the bail plea by Pinjra tod activist Devangana Kalita in connection with a Delhi riots case against her. (Devangana Kalita vs State).The matter was listed for hearing before a Single Judge Bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait..Kalita is an accused in as many as four FIRs pertaining to the anti-CAA protests and Delhi riots. The present bail plea has been moved in FIR No. 50/2020 registered at PS Jafrabad for Delhi riots..She's presently in judicial custody in Tihar Jail after she was arrested in May 2020..In June 2020, Kalita's bail plea in the present case was rejected by the Trial Court..At the very outset, Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, for Delhi Police, informed the Court that yesterday, a chargesheet was filed against Kalita by the Delhi Police. ."I am entitled to bail on even better reasons then.. they do not need me for investigation,", Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal for Kalita said. .Senior Advocate Sibal argued that the Delhi Police had no evidence to show Kalita's participation in rioting or violence and that she was only protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act. ."Not denying that I did protest..(but) show any video in which I am part of a violent crowd." , he said. .He pointed that Kalita neither featured in any of the CCTV footage collected by Delhi Police nor was her name taken by the co-accused, Shahrukh, in his statement. .In response, Delhi Police maintained that the demonstrations and the violence were part of the conspiracy to lower the country's image when the President of the United States was on a visit. .It was stated that Delhi Police had videos of the protest site under Jafrabad metro station from February 22-25. The Officer concerned also claimed that on the day of the riots, the local SHO had specifically informed Kalita about the implementation of Sec 144 CrPc in the area and had asked her to disperse the crowd..On being asked if there was any video of Kalita making instigating speeches, the Delhi Police answered in negative. Delhi Police, however, stated that there were witness accounts to show Kalita's role in the violence. .After hearing the parties at length, the Court reserved the bail plea for order.