Tue Nov 18 16:40:29 UTC 2025: News Article:
Delhi Riots Were Pre-Planned Attack on Nation, Solicitor General Tells Supreme Court
New Delhi, November 18, 2025 – The Supreme Court today heard arguments regarding the 2020 Delhi riots, with Solicitor General Tushar Mehta asserting that the violence was a meticulously planned attack on the sovereignty of the nation, not a spontaneous outburst following protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
Appearing before a bench headed by Justice Aravind Kumar, Mehta refuted what he termed a “false narrative” circulating in the media, stating that the riots were “well-designed, well-crafted, orchestrated, preplanned, [and] choreographed.” He claimed the police have evidence of speeches and WhatsApp communications revealing a deliberate attempt to divide society along communal lines.
The court is currently considering bail pleas from several individuals, including former JNU student leader Umar Khalid, who are charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly conspiring to instigate the riots. Khalid has been incarcerated for five years.
Mehta, joined by Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, argued that the delay in the trial was due to the defendants, who he accused of prolonging proceedings to strengthen their chances of bail. He highlighted a photograph allegedly depicting the accused together, “hatching the conspiracy.”
Raju further argued against granting bail to Khalid based on parity with others previously released, stating that those accused under UAPA should only be granted bail if they meet the stringent requirements of Section 43D(5) of the Act. He claimed that prior bail grants in the case were erroneous.
The police affidavit submitted to the Supreme Court accuses Khalid and his co-accused of exploiting the CAA protests as a cover and “radicalising catalyst” to incite nationwide communal riots with the ultimate goal of regime change.
The hearing continues.
First Piper 