New Delhi, Jun 23 (IANS): The Delhi High Court on Monday sought response from the owner of Rajdhani School owner Faisal Farooqui over a petition filed by the Delhi police challenging the bail granted to him in a case relating to the Delhi riots.

The Crime Branch of the Delhi Police which is probing the cases relating to the Delhi riots in its charge-sheet in connection with the riots that broke out near Rajdhani School in Shiv Vihar area of northeast Delhi had claimed that its owner Farooque visited "Deoband" and had links with "Hazrat Nizamuddin Markaz"

A single judge bench of the high court issued a notice to Farooqui seeking his response over the plea filed by the Delhi police seeking cancellation of bail granted to him. The court also directed that "till further order, if (Farooq) is still in custody, he shall not be released."

"Till further order, if the respondent/accused, pursuant to order dated 20.06.2020 is still in custody, he shall not be released, the court said while posting the matter for further hearing on June 23 (Tuesday).

A Delhi court had on June 20 granted bail to Farooqui while observing that despite police allegations, the chargesheet did not provide any evidence of terror funding or his alleged links with Pinjra Tod group, the Popular Front of India and Muslim clerics.

The court also said the prima facie evidence suggested that he was not present at the spot at the time of incident.

In its charge sheet, the Delhi police has categorically mentioned that Farooque visited Deoband on Feb 23, just one day before the riots began in the Shiv Vihar and its neighboring areas too.

"His (Faisal) call detail analysis and links with prominent members of Popular Front of India, Pinjratod group, Jamia Coordination Committee, Hazrat Nizamuddin Markaz and some other fundamental muslim clerics including Deoband also show the depth of the conspiracy," the police had said in its charge sheet filed before Metropolitian Magistrate Richa Parihar.

The case relates to riots that broke that broke out on Feb 24 outside Shiv Vihar's Rajdhani School where another school named DRP Convent and an adjacent sweet shop was burnt and a man trapped inside the shop died. 18 people including Farooque were arrested by the police in this regard.

"The rioters had camped inside and fired bullets from the terrace of Rajdhani School. They also threw petrol bombs, acid, bricks, stones and other missiles using an improvised large iron catapult, specially installed for the purpose, from the terrace of Rajdhani School," the police said.

The chargesheet states that Farooque had hatched a conspiracy to precipitate and aggravate riots, in and around Rajdhani School. On his instructions, the adjacent and rival DRP Convent School, 2 parking lots run by the other party and the building of Anil Sweets was systematically destroyed by the mob.