[Delhi Riots] Have they entered my mind like Voldemort in Harry Potter; chargesheet fertile imagination of police: Umar Khalid to Delhi court

Delhi Riots accused, Umar Khalid on Friday told a Delhi court that the case against him was borne out of malice and the chargesheet against him was a result of fertile imagination of the police officer who drafted it..Khalid's lawyer, Senior Advocate Trideep Pais contended that the witness statements against Khalid are inconsistent and the chargesheet resembled television serial script. "The chargesheet is a result of the fertile imagination of the police officer who drafted it and the witnesses are procured....He is not writing the script of Family Man. This is a chargesheet," argued Pais."There is no way these statements are consistent with each other and meet the test under UAPA," he added.The arguments were made before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat in the bail plea filed by Khalid who has been accused of offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the Delhi Riots of February 2020.Pais took specific exceptions to portions of the chargsheet which he claimed was based on the police officer's imagination rather than any evidence. The relevant portion of the chargesheet read out by Pais was as follows:“Previous brush with law, was clear in his mind that when Delhi will be thrown in fire, he shall be keeping a safe physical distance to create the perfect alibi if the conspiracy ever gets exposed.” The Senior Counsel expressed shock that there was allegedly no evidence to back this statement and the only way the police officer could have known this was if he was inside Khalid’s mind.Pais cheekily remarked that the last person who travelled with someone and got into their mind was Voldemort in Harry Potter. “Have they entered my mind? (Mere mind mein ghus gaye?)”.He is not writing the script of Family Man. This is a chargesheet."Senior Advocate Trideep Pais.In order to buttress his argument, Pais revisited an argument previously advanced where Khalid was accused of giving a provocative speech in Amravati which on viewing of the video turned out to be a peaceful event.“They say in Amravati I gave a भड़काऊ भाषण (provocative speech). Your Honour saw the video. There is a bunch of tame people sitting and listening to someone speak about the CAA. First is, they misquote a public event, which is on record, but the prosecution is trying to portray it as terror.”.He took the Court through various documents including Khalid’s interview with Zee TV to show that at no point in time did he say, “Bharat Tere Tukde Honge”, as described in the chargesheet."How did you produce, “Bharat Tere Tukde Honge”, in this chargesheet? It was not in the previous chargesheet. If you were truthful, you would have annexed the previous chargesheet to this. 17,00 pages have been annexed, why not this? I am appalled," Pais said..The Senior Counsel lamented that no matter what the judge decides, public opinion against Khalid is being shaped by the nature of language and allegations in the chargesheet. He also remarked that these statements were meant to peddle propaganda and Khalid has been made a criminal for it..In fact, it was argued that several statements in the chargesheet gave a communal colour to otherwise secular protests. In this regard, he pointed out another statement from the chargesheet - “It was also decided that Masjids should be the focal point.” He asked, “If this statement did not have a basis, who has given a communal colour? Not me!”The matter will be heard again on September 6, Monday..Read details of the previous hearing here.