Delhi riots case: Court grants interim bail to Khalid Saifi, bars him from using social media
New Delhi (PTI): A Delhi court has granted 13-day interim bail to 2020 Northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case accused Khalid Saifi, on several conditions, including refraining from social media.
Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai was hearing the interim bail application filed by 'United Against Hate' founder, Saifi, to attend the wedding of his nephews and observe Ramzan with his family.
In an order dated January 29, the court said, "The applicant (Saifi), upon his release, shall not get in touch with any of the witnesses. Further, the applicant shall not leave the territory of Delhi, NCR, during the period of his interim bail. Further, the applicant shall not contact the Media and will not do any activity or put any material on social media at any cost".
The court granted him the relief from February 6 to February 13, 2026, on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 20,000 along with two sureties of the like amount.
"Considering all the facts and circumstances of the case, the court deems it just and appropriate to grant the desired relief to the applicant (Saifi)," the judge said.
Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24, 2020, after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 700 injured.
According to the FIR registered at Jagat Puri police station, a mob had assembled in Masjidwali Gali in Khureji Khas area of northeast Delhi on February 26, 2020.
The crowd refused to obey the police’s order to disperse, threw stones and assaulted police personnel, the FIR said, adding someone also fired a gunshot at head constable Yograj.
According to the prosecution, Saifi and former Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan had instigated the "unlawful assembly".
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BJP to fight Assam polls on twin planks of development, secure state
Guwahati (PTI): In a bid to win the Assam Assembly elections for the third time in a row, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Friday advised the state BJP brass to fight on twin planks: development and a secure state.
Shah, who wound up a two-day visit to Assam, held a nearly two-hour-long meeting with senior leaders of the BJP state unit at the party headquarters here, with a focus on discussing strategy for the state elections, expected in March-April.
Briefing reporters after the closed-door meeting, BJP Assam president Dilip Saikia said, "Development and a secure Assam will be our twin electoral planks."
He also said that Shah, known for his expertise in electoral politics, has offered valuable suggestions, and based on it, an action plan to retain power in the state will be formulated soon.
“Discussions were held in detail on our organisational and political calendars. Shah ji offered some very valuable suggestions, and we will implement those at the earliest…We will share more details on the action plan soon,” Saikia said.
He further said that the Union minister exhorted the state party leadership to ensure that not only do they secure a ‘massive landslide victory’ but also bag more seats than in the previous election.
The BJP currently leads a coalition government in Assam with the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP) and United People's Party Liberal (UPPL), while the Bodoland People's Front (BPF) has also extended support.
In the 126-member Assembly, the BJP now has 64 legislators, while its allies AGP, UPPL and BPF have nine, seven and three memnbers, respectively. In the opposition camp, the Congress’ strength is 26, while AIUDF has 15 members and CPI(M) one. There is an Independent legislator also, belonging to Raijor Dal.
Saikia said that the party will continue to contest the state polls in coalition with its NDA allies, which was also favoured by Shah.
Dismissing reports of chinks in the ruling coalition, the Lok Sabha MP said, “As far as the NDA is concerned, we are united in Assam. There could be discussions about some issues on individual party forums.”
The saffron party has maintained that its alliance with the regional parties will continue, and formalities like seat-sharing arrangements are being worked out.
Shah, who was on his second visit to the state within a month, attended two other events in Dibrugarh and Dheamji earlier in the day. He left for West Bengal after the meeting at the Guwahati state party headquarters.
