Jamia Millia Pregnant Student Safoora Zargar's Third Bail Plea Quashed

NEW DELHI: Jamia Millia Islamia University pregnant student Safoora Zargar, who was booked under UAPA in connection with the Delhi riots, was denied bail for the third time on Thursday.

When you choose to play with embers, you cannot blame the wind to have carried the spark a bit too far and spread the fire, the Patiala High Court said while dismissing bail plea of the Jamia Coordination Committee member.

Additional Sessions Judge Dharmender Rana said that during the course of investigation a larger conspiracy was discernible and if there was prima evidence of conspiracy, acts and statements made by any one of the conspirators, it is admissible against all.

The court said that even if there was no direct act of violence attributable to the accused (Zargar), she cannot shy away from her liability under the provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

"The acts and inflammatory speeches of the co-conspirators are admissible under the Indian Evidence Act even against the accused," it said.

It further said that there was prima facie evidence to show there was a conspiracy to at least blockade the roads (chakka jaam). Zargar, M Phil student of Jamia Millia Islamia University, is more than four months pregnant.

Keeping in mind her "precarious medical condition" the court asked the Tihar Jail Superintendent to provide adequate medical aid and assistance to her.

During the hearing held through video conferencing, police told the court that she had allegedly given "inflammatory speeches" to instigate a mob that led to the riots in February.

Zargar's counsel claimed that she has been falsely implicated in the case and had no role in the alleged criminal conspiracy in the case. The counsel claimed that the investigating agency is in fact creating a "false narrative" to implicate innocent students who do not approve of the government's policy or legislation.

The police had earlier claimed that Zargar allegedly blocked a road near Jaffrabad metro station during the anti-CAA protests and instigated people that led to the riots in the area.

Earlier, before the UAPA was invoked against her, her lawyers moved the court for bail on April 18; it was rejected on April 21. A second bail plea on May 2 was also not successful. The Patiala High Court dismissed her third bail plea on June 5.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and scores injured. It is considered as the worst Delhi riots since the anti-Sikh riots of 1984.