Student leader Umar Khalid on Thursday claimed the Delhi police have “fabricated evidence” to implicate him in a ‘larger conspiracy’ case pertaining to the 2020 riots in north-east Delhi.

Mr. Khalid made the submission before Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Courts, who is hearing the case that is at the stage of framing of charges.

Mr. Khalid’s counsel, senior advocate Trideep Pais, said the FIR lodged by the Delhi police has no basis as there is no document or witness against his client. He added that Mr. Khalid was not present during the commission of the offence for which he has been booked.

‘Reverse engineering’

Terming it ‘reverse engineering’, the senior advocate said the police had “first decided whom to implicate and then found ways to justify the same”.

The counsel submitted several orders of lower courts in cases related to the 2020 riots, in which critical observations were made by the judges against the investigative agency while acquitting persons accused by the Delhi police of offences like rioting, arson and even attempt to murder.

The court posted the matter for hearing on September 17.

The case pertaining to a ‘larger conspiracy’ in the north-east Delhi riots was registered in 2020 by Delhi Police’s Special Cell. The police had booked Tahir Hussain, Mr. Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

Arrested in September 2020, Mr. Khalid has been lodged in jail for five years after his bail was repeatedly denied by courts. In June 2021, the Delhi High Court granted bail to several of his co-accused in the case.