Delhi's Karkardooma court discharges Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi in 2020 Delhi riots case

The court observed that Khalid cannot be put behind bars based on the fact that other persons who were in the riot have to be identified and arrested

Delhi's Karkardooma court on Saturday discharged the former students' union leader of Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) in a stone-pelting case amid the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. Another student leader, Khalid Saifi, was also discharged in the case.

The order was issued by additional sessions judge Pulastya Pramachala and discharged them from the stone-pelting case. However, the duo will continue to remain in jail given an FIR against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for hatching a larger conspiracy behind the riots.

The court observed that Khalid cannot be put behind bars based on the fact that other persons who were in the riot have to be identified and arrested since the investigation was complete and a charge sheet was filed.

Both Khalid and Saifi were charged under the case for allegedly being involved in stone-throwing activity by a mob in northeast Delhi's Chand Bagh Pulia area on February 24, 2020. They were not part of the mob, however, they were believed to have hatched the criminal conspiracy in the case.

The FIR was filed under Sections 109, 114, 147, 148, 149, 153-A, 186, 212, 353, 395, 427, 435, 436, 452, 454, 505, 34 and 120-B of the Indian Penal Code along with other sections.