Delhi Police in its charge-sheet has alleged that anti-CAA activists had created several WhatsApp groups to pre-plan the communal violence that broke out in North-East Delhi on February 23.
One of such groups was Delhi Protest Support Group (DPSG) which was created by documentary filmmaker Rahul Roy and Saba Deewan on December 28, 2019.
Several well-known activists such as Yogendra Yadav, ND Jayaprakash, Members of Pinjra Tod organization among others were added in the group to chalk out the plan of action for protest against Citizenship Amendment Act.
Contents of messages, presented in a transcript form in the charge-sheet, suggest that members disagree on many issues. While some want a peaceful protest, others talked of adopting a confrontational approach at times too.
Almost ten days after the riot, the Delhi Police lodged an FIR no. 59 on March 6, in which it alleged that the violence was not accidental but a pre-planned conspiracy by some anti-CAA protestors.
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.
Till 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.
The charge-sheet was filed against 15 accused on September 16.
The Delhi police say that consequent to the FIR, Danish was the first accused arrested on March 9. On March 11 when police arrested two more accused, Parvez and Ilyas, the news about this FIR spread across.
The chat details show that at 5:50 PM on March 11, one of the group members, Mariya Salim writes, 바카라May I suggest this group deleted and all of you clear this chat. We can reconvene on signal.바카라
Ishaan Bhambri, another member, writes the next day at 3:37 on March 12, 바카라Someone has suggested about deleting this group after clearing the chat yesterday and moving to signal. Now that the centre has started going after civil society groups why are we still communicating on WhatsApp?바카라
Responding to Bhambri message, a member Janani G writes, 바카라This is a good suggestion to follow given the current climate.바카라
Roy, in response to the suggestion, says, 바카라Everyone will have to individually delete chats.
When Bhambri responds in affirmative by writing 바카라done바카라 in the group, Roy바카라s writes, 바카라Will be impossible to coordinate that.바카라
Then another member Gautam Modi suggests, 바카라We should rather be discussing how to responds to what바카라s happening.바카라
바카라We are all discussing that and also working on ground to address what is happening,바카라 Salim writes and insists on deleting everything as she adds, 바카라No. You can just delete the thread once we are all on signal.바카라
She continues, 바카라It바카라s upto all of you. It was a suggestion based on digital security threat which are increasing manyfold. Those with a condescending tone must understand that some of us with a Muslim identity are at higher risk than others.바카라
Gautam Modi intervenes and writes, 바카라Really, please I am within my rights to take a different view on internet security. I shall however not respond any further on this issue owing to just how unfortunate my last name turned out to be.바카라
Salim responds, 바카라Of course, you can and rightly so, but to say we should rather be discussing how to respond is to rubbish someone else바카라s legit concern too. 바카라
Roy intervenes here and writes, 바카라Folks the admins are figuring this out. Please give us some time. Until then please bear with us.바카라
The Charge-sheet further says that Saba Dewan changed the group바카라s settings at 7:40 PM to allow only admins to send messages to the group.
Many civil society activists have strongly reacted to the contents of the charge-sheet and alleged that the police case is frivolous, motivated and based on imaginary details. They also allege that Delhi Police hasn바카라t named BJP leader Kapil Mishra as an accused in the Delhi riots cases. Mishra had allegedly given an inflammatory speech just before the riots took place.
The court has taken cognizance on the Charge-sheet and in the next course, it will be argued if charges are rightly framed against the accused. or not.
