NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police on Thursday filed its counter-affidavit in the Supreme Court on the bail pleas of anti-CAA activists accused in the larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots. In the affidavit, the police alleged that the accused persons, including student leaders Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid had conspired to strike at the sovereignty and integrity of the country by a "regime change operation" executed under the guise of "peaceful protest."

The bail pleas of Imam, Khalid, and other activists are expected to be considered on Friday by a two-judge bench of the apex court, headed by Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice N V Anjaria. 

The Delhi Police in its affidavit, vehemently pleaded that the accused persons' bail pleas should be dismissed forthwith, as they were involved in "deep-rooted and fervent complicity in engineering a nation-wide riots on communal lines."

"The conspiracy hatched, nurtured and executed by the petitioner was to strike at the very heart of the sovereignty and integrity of the country by destroying the communal harmony; instigating the crowd not only to abrogate public order but to instigate them to an extent of armed rebellion," the affidavit claimed. 

It further claimed that the materials on record, including chats referencing US President Donald Trump, established beyond doubt that the conspiracy was "pre-planned."

"This was done so as to draw the attention of international media, and to make the issue of CAA a global issue by portraying it as an act against the Muslim community in India. The issue of CAA was carefully chosen as to serve as a radicalising catalyst camouflaged in the name of peaceful protest," the affidavit alleged.