A month after being denied regular bail by the Delhi High Court, so-called activist and former JNU student Umar Khalid applied for interim bail at the Karkardooma court. Khalid sought bail in connection with a case pertaining to the bigger conspiracy in the 2020 Delhi riots, involving offenses under the Indian Penal Code and UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act).
According to the reports, Khalid said that he wanted a two weeks bail to attend his sister’s wedding ceremony. After reviewing the contents of the motion, Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Amitabh Rawat of the Karkardooma Court in Delhi instructed the prosecution to file a reply to the petition.
“This is a fresh application u/s. 439 Cr. P.C moved on behalf of the applicant/accused Umar Khalid seeking interim bail for a period of two weeks. Put up for filing of reply and arguments on the interim bail application of applicant/accused Umar Khalid on 25.11.2022,” the Court noted.
Khalid has been in custody since September 2020. Earlier, in October, Khalid was denied bail by the Delhi Court which noted that the bail appeal had no merit. “We don’t find any merit in bail appeal, the appeal is dismissed,” the bench led by Justice Siddharth Mirdul and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar had said.
On September 9, the division bench of Justice Siddharth Mirdul and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar reserved their verdict on Khalid’s bail plea. Khalid appealed to the Delhi High Court after the trial court denied him bail on March 24. He was arrested on September 13, 2020, and has been detained since.
Umar Khalid had challenged the lower court’s order rejecting his bail application on the grounds that there is no evidence linking him to the violence that erupted in Delhi during the riots. The High Court on September 9, reserved its judgment on Khalid’s appeal after the completion of the arguments put forth by both parties.
Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad appearing for Delhi Police earlier stated that Khalid is one of the brains behind the riots and acted as a silent whisperer. He also presented Khalid’s Amravati address, proving that it was a premeditated speech in which the focus was not only CAA NRC but other alleged problems directly relevant to the Muslim community such as Triple Talaq and the Babri Masjid, among others. He said that Khalid was involved in managing the protest to sow dissatisfaction among the minorities.
The FIR filed against Khalid includes serious allegations such as Sections 13, 16, 17, and 18 of the UAPA, Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, and Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act of 1984. He is also charged with several offences listed in the Indian Penal Code of 1860.
