There are over 750 FIRs lodged to date, in the riots cases against offences such as giving communally insinuating speeches, creating religious hatred, looting, arson, destroying public and private property, causing injury and murder among others.
However, FIR No. 59 is the most crucial one and has invited wide criticism. Police has alleged that the riot was a pre-planned and the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), prior to that, allegedly created a communally-charged atmosphere that lead to the communal clashes in February.
Along with various sections of the Indian Penal Code, the police has also invoked UAPA which is a stringent anti-terrorism law to prevent unlawful activities and associations against the sovereignty and integrity of India.
To date, over 20 accused persons including Ex-Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students and Jamia Milia Islamia students, have been arrested in this particular case and according to the police, many more are still absconding. Umar Khalid, the Ex-JNU student’s arrest was the most recent arrest in this case.
Jamia Millia Islamia PhD scholar Safoora Zargar is the only accused who was granted bail by the Delhi High Court. She was granted bail on humanitarian grounds as Zargar was pregnant during her arrest. Rest of the accused are in judicial custody and courts have dismissed their bail pleas.
What’s in FIR 59?