The Delhi High Court has called for a response from the city police regarding the bail application of Umar Khalid, a former student of Jawaharlal Nehru University, who is implicated in a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) linked to the Delhi riots of February 2020. Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Girish Kathpalia issued a notice to the Delhi Police to submit their stance on Khalid’s plea for bail.
The court has scheduled the hearing of Khalid’s bail application for August 29, to coincide with the bail applications of other co-accused, including student activist Sharjeel Imam. The decision to align these hearings underscores the complexity and significance of the cases, which stem from the violent events that resulted in the deaths of 53 individuals and injuries to over 700.
Khalid was arrested in September 2020 and faces charges under the UAPA and the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly orchestrating the riots, which erupted amidst the nationwide protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The trial court had previously denied Khalid’s request for regular bail twice, citing that the decision of the first bail plea had reached finality.
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In a previous ruling on October 18, 2022, the Delhi High Court upheld the trial court’s decision to dismiss Khalid’s initial bail plea, supporting the police’s claims that there was prima facie evidence of Khalid’s involvement. The court referenced the transition of anti-CAA protests into violent riots, which were allegedly premeditated at conspiratorial meetings, with Khalid reportedly playing an active role in the demonstrations.
