Court Denies Bail To Umar Khalid In Delhi Riots Larger Conspiracy’ Case

Mumbai: A Delhi court on Thursday dismissed the bail plea of former Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid, an accused in a ‘larger conspiracy case in connection with the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots.

Former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader, Khalid was arrested on 13 September 2020 under sections of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). Karkardooma court had reserved the order on March 3.

The order was to be pronounced on March 14. It was deferred after Umar Khalid’s lawyer did not give written arguments. Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat dismissed the bail plea on Thursday. Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad had said that the healthy conduct of the accused in the conspiracy case should be monitored.

There are many chats and there is other evidence. He also said that there is sufficient material on record against the accused.

He submitted on the specific question asked by the court on Umar Khalid’s speech in Amravati that permission for the event was denied by the Maharashtra Police on 11 February 2020.

Then on February 12, another application was filed by an office-bearer of the Welfare Party of India mentioning six dignitaries except for Umar Khalid. The father of the accused is the national president of the party.

Only six people were allowed, yet Umar Khalid went there and gave a speech on 17 February. The SPP argued that an FIR was registered in this regard for non-compliance with the order. Senior advocate Tridip Paes, contradicting the counsel for the accused, said that the said order and the FIR were illegal as there cannot be a restriction on the right to speech. There is no such restriction in the Maharashtra Police Act.

He argued that Umar Khalid was not named as an accused in the said FIR registered in the Amravati case. Nothing happened after the speech. The prosecution cannot call it an act of terror as he had given a speech there.

“Prosecution is making a mockery of prosecution of UAPA.”

He also argued that the ‘Bharat tere tukde honge’ remark was not attributed to Khalid in charge sheet filed in the JNU case 2016. But this time the prosecution has attributed the remark to him. This case is related to the larger conspiracy of northeast Delhi riots in which 53 people died and hundreds had got injured. Delhi police had lodged a larger conspiracy case naming Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima including others.

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