Overview
- Additional Sessions Judge Bhupinder Singh reserved orders on the bail pleas of seven accused for Monday after hearing arguments, having a day earlier reserved orders for three others.
- Justice Prateek Jalan told Delhi Police that bystanders cannot be treated as accused, sought a status report with timestamped video detailing Sajid Iqbal’s specific role, and set the anticipatory bail matter for further hearing next week.
- Police say around 150–200 people attacked officers and MCD staff during the January 6–7 demolition near Faiz-e-Ilahi mosque, injuring six policemen, and about 20 arrests have been made with only one bail granted so far.
- Prosecutors alleged Mohammed Areeb shared demolition videos in a WhatsApp group called ‘Chatter Box’, filmed himself at the scene, and deleted clips at arrest, claims the defence disputes by saying he merely forwarded messages and was at work.
- The trial court questioned identification based on ‘zoomed’ video rather than facial recognition as defence lawyers argued faces were unclear, roles were unspecified, and due-process safeguards such as DK Basu and Arnesh Kumar principles should apply.