Umar Khalid bail plea: HC seeks police’s response, to hear matter next on Aug 29
Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid has been in custody since September 2020 under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA
The Delhi high court on Wednesday issued a notice in connection with former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Umar Khalid’s plea seeking bail in the case related to his alleged role in the larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 East Delhi riots.
A bench of justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Girish Kathpalia sought the Delhi Police’s response to the plea and fixed August 29 as the next date of hearing days after Justice Amit Sharma recused from hearing the matter. It also fixed the same date for the hearing on a batch of pleas of Khalid’s co-accused including student activist Sharjeel Imam for bail in the same case.
Khalid moved the high court against a Delhi court’s May 28 order rejecting his second bail plea saying the prosecution was not responsible for any delays in the case and there was no “significant change in circumstances” since the first rejection.
He has been in custody since September 2020. Khalid is facing charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA for his alleged role in a broader plot behind the riots that claimed 53 lives and left hundreds injured. The riots occurred amid months-long protests against the contentious new citizenship law.
Khalid has denied the charges against him. Delhi’s Karkardooma court in March 2022 rejected his first bail plea. The high court in October 2022 affirmed the verdict. Khalid petitioned the Supreme Court in April last year. On February 14, he withdrew his bail plea from the Supreme Court citing a “change in circumstances”. Khalid’s legal team said that he would rather try his luck before the trial court.