On March 24, a Delhi court rejected the bail plea of one of the prime accused of the larger conspiracy case of Delhi Riots 2020. Soon after the court announced the judgement, so-called liberals and Islamists had a massive meltdown on social media platforms.
TMC’s Saket Gokhale called Khalid a political prisoner and alleged that the court rejected his fundamental rights. He urged everyone not to “forget” Khalid. “Every day that he spends in jail is a black mark on Indian democracy,” he claimed.
Political analyst Muzzammil Imam alleged the real culprits are never caught, but the innocents get punished by the courts.
The Wire journalist Kaushik Raj pointed fingers at Yati Narsinghanand and others, claiming they were roaming free after making allegedly inflammatory speeches, but Khalid, who ‘protested’ against CAA-NRC, was denied bail. Khalid is accused of being part of larger conspiracy in Delhi riots.
Advocate Areeb Uddin questioned why the court deferred the decision three times and then rejected the bail.
Aatish Taseer, whose OCI card was revoked by the Indian Government, said, “the day after Bhagat Singh’s death anniversary, to honour those societies that do NOT demand martyrdom and sacrifice, those that allow you to live (rather than die) for your country, and that do not fetishise the terrible suffering Umar Khalid has had to endure.”
Washington Post columnist accused of financial fraud in name of COVID relief donation called it tyranny.
Senior Advocate and former AAP leader Prashant Bhushan called it unfortunate and claimed the evidence against Khalid was ‘fabricated’.
Former AMU student and another Islamist Sharjeel Usmani insinuated that the judiciary in India is hand in gloves with the Indian government, thereby casting aspersions that the independent body is not so.
Umar Khalid was booked under UAPA
The Delhi Police apprehended Umar Khalid on September 13, 2020, and charged him on November 22, 2020, under several provisions of the UAPA and the Indian Penal Code. In July 2021, Khalid filed a bail application.