Delhi Court Denies Bail to Umar Khalid in Delhi Riots Conspiracy Case

A Delhi court on Tuesday denied bail to Umar Khalid, a former scholar and activist at Jawaharlal Nehru University in connection with the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi riots under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. This decision comes after his second regular bail plea was dismissed by Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Courts. Khalid had withdrawn his previous plea seeking relief from the Supreme Court, challenging the Delhi High Court's denial of bail in October 2022.

Khalid, who has been behind bars since September 2020 awaiting trial under the UAPA, moved a fresh bail application under Section 437 of Cr. P.C. read with Section 43D (5) of UAPA. This comes after his first plea for regular bail was rejected by the trial court in March 2022. He is among several individuals accused of involvement in the alleged larger conspiracy surrounding the communal violence that erupted in February 2020 in the national capital.

Others implicated in the case include members of groups like Pinjra Tod and Jamia Millia Islamia students, as well as activists and politicians. Khalid faces charges under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act, and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

During the court proceedings, Khalid's counsel argued against the terror allegations levelled against him, stating that his name was merely repeated in the charge sheet without substantial evidence. The defence also highlighted what they termed a "vicious media trial" against Khalid. The prosecution, however, opposed Khalid's bail plea, describing it as "frivolous and baseless."

The Delhi police have accused Khalid of planning protests at multiple locations in 2020, which allegedly contributed to the riots. Khalid's lawyer questioned whether sharing messages amounted to criminal or terror activities, while the prosecution alleged that Khalid was amplifying a certain narrative as part of a conspiracy.​