Umar Khalid

Former JNU student Umar Khalid on Friday asked before the Delhi High Court the basis on which the Delhi police made him an accused in a UAPA case related to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 northeast Delhi violence. Appearing before Justices Navin Chwla and Shalinder Kaur, senior advocate Trideep Pais argued no criminality was alleged against many persons who allegedly attended the conspiracy meetings or made phone calls post the violence. "There was a meeting; bulk of the meeting is not an accused. How am I an accused? There are two from the meeting who are accused? One Sharjeel Imam and myself. How are we accused when others are not?" asked the senior lawyer. Pais further argued the number of people present at protests, meetings, on calls -- none were made an accused. "What is the basis of making this person or that person an accused is not even known?" he asked. He referred to Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav and filmmaker Rahul Roy who were not accused

The Delhi High Court will hear on November 25 the bail plea of former JNU student Umar Khalid and student activist Sharjeel Imam in a UAPA case related to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the communal riots here in February 2020. The two bail pleas, along with similar pleas by other co-accused in the case --'United Against Hate' founder Khalid Saifi and others -- were on Monday listed for fresh hearing before a bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur. The bench, however, did not assemble. The cases were earlier before a bench headed by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait but the judge was recently transferred to the Madhya Pradesh High Court as its chief justice. Khalid, Imam and several others have been booked under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the February 2020 riots, which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. The violence had erupted during the protes

Former JNU student and activist Umar Khalid has completed four years in jail after being arrested in connection with the 2020 northeast Delhi communal riots. Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24, 2020, after violence between supporters of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and those against the legislation spiralled out of control, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured. Khalid was in December 2022 acquitted in a case related to alleged rioting, vandalism and arson at a parking lot in February 2020 but remains incarcerated in the second case under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being a mastermind of the riots. The 36-year-old researcher and scholar was arrested on September 13, 2020. While charge-sheets were filed in 2020 and 2022, the framing of charges has been delayed in this case and his attempts to seek bail have been turned down by courts. He has al

The Delhi High Court sought the city police's stand on Wednesday on the bail plea of former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid in a UAPA case related to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 riots here. A bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Girish Kathpalia issued a notice to the Delhi Police on the bail plea and asked the agency to file its reply. The court listed Khalid's bail plea for hearing on August 29, along with the bail pleas of other co-accused in the case, including student activist Sharjeel Imam. The court observed that the bail pleas of Imam and the other co-accused in the case were "set for hearing". Khalid, who was arrested by the Delhi Police in September 2020, has assailed a recent trial court order refusing to grant him bail in the case. Khalid, Imam and several others have been booked under the anti-terror law, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), and provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly being th

Delhi High Court judge Justice Amit Sharma on Monday recused himself from hearing the bail plea of former JNU student Umar Khalid in a UAPA case related to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the riots here in February 2020. The matter was listed for hearing before a division bench of Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Sharma. This has to go before another bench, Justice Singh said. "List before another bench, of which Justice Amit Sharma is not a member, on July 24," the court ordered. Khalid, who was arrested by the Delhi Police in September 2020, has assailed a recent trial court order refusing to grant him bail in the case. Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and several others have been booked under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the February 2020 riots in the national capital, which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. The violence had erupted during the protests

The Delhi High Court will on Monday hear the bail plea of former JNU student Umar Khalid in a UAPA case related to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the riots here in February 2020. The plea, which assails a recent trial court order refusing to grant bail to Khalid, is scheduled to be heard by a bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Amit Sharma. Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and several others have been booked under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the February 2020 riots, which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. The violence had erupted during the protests against CAA and NRC. Khalid was arrested by Delhi Police in September 2020. On May 28, the trial court had rejected Khalid's plea seeking regular bail for the second time, saying its previous order dismissing his first bail application had attained finality. "When the Delhi High Court has already dismissed th

Rebutting the Delhi Police's argument that former JNU student Umar Khalid was creating social media narratives to influence bail hearings, his lawyer on Wednesday asked the court whether sharing WhatsApp messages is a criminal or terror act. Khalid is an accused in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 northeast Delhi communal riots. He has been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai was hearing the second bail plea of Khalid before the special court. "The special public prosecutor (SPP) says I created narratives. Is sharing messages (on WhatsApp) a criminal or terror act?... Is the court able to see the ridiculousness of their (prosecution's) attempts to keep someone in jail? Is it wrong for me to forward a message saying someone is wrongly incarcerated? No," Khalid's counsel senior advocate Trideep Pais said. SPP Amit Prasad had earlier said the data from Khalid's mobile phone revealed that he was in

The Delhi Police told a court here Tuesday that former JNU student Umar Khalid amplified a false narrative in his favour through social media, completing its arguments against his bail plea in the 2020 Delhi riots case. Khalid is an accused in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 northeast Delhi communal riots. He has been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The arguments against Khalid's bail plea were made on Tuesday before Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai. Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad said Khalid's mobile phone data revealed he was in contact with some actors, politicians, activists and celebrities and sent them some links by certain news portals against the Delhi Police. These links were sent with a request to share them on their social media accounts to set a particular narrative and amplify it. Citing his chats with these people -- who have a considerable social media following -- Prasad said Khalid amplified his .

A court here on Wednesday sought a response of Delhi Police on the bail plea filed by former JNU student Umar Khalid, who is an accused in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai was hearing Khalid's fresh application for a grant of regular bail. Khalid has been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Protection) Act (UAPA). "Copy of the bail application along with documents has already been supplied to the prosecution. Reply to the present bail application be filed by the prosecution on the next date, with advance copy to the counsel for the applicant or accused (Khalid)," the court said. The matter has been posted on March 11 for filing of reply and arguments on the bail application. Twenty people, including activists Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi and former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, have been booked for their alleged involvement in the larger conspiracy to incite the communal riots. The case is bein

Former JNU student Umar Khalid on Wednesday withdrew his bail plea from the Supreme Court in a case lodged under anti-terror law UAPA over his alleged involvement in the conspiracy behind the northeast Delhi riots of February 2020. A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal was told by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Khalid, that he wishes to withdraw the bail plea due to "change in circumstances". Sibal said, "I wish to argue the legal question (challenging UAPA provisions) but wants to withdraw the bail plea due to change in circumstances. We will try our luck in trial court." The senior lawyer, however, did not elaborate on change in circumstances. The bench accepted the request of Sibal and ordered for withdrawal of the bail plea of Khalid. Khalid has challenged the October 18, 2022 order of the Delhi High Court by which his bail plea was rejected. The high court had rejected Khalid's bail plea, saying he was in constant touch with other co-accused and th

The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned till January 31 the hearing on the bail plea of former JNU student Umar Khalid in a case lodged under anti-terror law UAPA over his alleged involvement in the conspiracy behind the northeast Delhi riots of February 2020. A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Ujjal Bhuyan deferred the matter as the bench was available only till lunch. "List on January 31. High on board," the bench said. Senior advocate C U Singh, appearing for Khalid, submitted that he was ready to argue but unfortunately this bench is rising after lunch. The matter was listed along with a batch of petitions challenging various provisions of the UAPA. Supreme Court judge Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra had on August 9 recused himself from hearing Khalid's plea. Khalid's petition challenging the October 18, 2022 order of the Delhi High Court, which had rejected his bail plea in the matter, had come up for hearing before a bench of Justices A S Bopanna and Mishra. The high co

The Supreme Court on Wednesday adjourned till January 24 the hearing on the bail plea of former JNU student Umar Khalid in a case lodged under anti-terror law UAPA over his alleged involvement in the conspiracy behind the northeast Delhi riots of February 2020. A bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal deferred the matter after senior advocate Kapil Sibal, for Khalid, sought adjournment saying he was busy in a Constitution bench matter. Sibal said even Additional Solicitor General S V Raju was not available. The bench expressed displeasure, and said it was not inclined to defer the matter. Sibal then said,"He (Khalid) is in jail. How does it matter? We have never asked for time. Mr Raju said he is also not available. I am in a Constitution bench. Kindly give a week. It is a reasonable request, I don't understand." The bench then said, "You have earlier said matter was not being heard.This is unnecessary, we can't grant exemption to you." When Sibal continued to insist,

A court here has dismissed former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain's plea seeking a stay on proceedings in a money laundering case against him till charges are framed in another case related to alleged conspiracy behind the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. Twenty people, including Hussain and activists Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and Khalid Saifi, have been arraigned as accused in the case related to the larger conspiracy to incite the riots. The money laundering case, registered by the Enforcement Directorate (ED), emanates from the larger conspiracy matter. The agency has alleged that Hussain laundered several crore rupees using shell or dummy companies to fuel protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the communal riots. Underlining that charges in the ED case were framed in January this year and Hussain's appeals against the order on charges were dismissed by the Delhi High Court and the Supreme Court, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat rejected the former councillor's

A bench of Justices Bela Trivedi and Dipankar Dutta adjourned the hearing as senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Khalid, was unavailable

The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned for two weeks the hearing on a plea filed by former JNU student Umar Khalid seeking bail in a case lodged under anti-terror law UAPA over his alleged involvement in the conspiracy behind the northeast Delhi riots of February 2020. A bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi said the matter needs to heard on a non-miscellaneous day. Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays are non-miscellaneous days in the apex court when matters which require detailed hearing are taken up. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Khalid, agreed to the suggestion. Supreme Court judge Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra had on August 9 recused himself from hearing Khalid's plea. Khalid's petition challenging the October 18, 2022 order of the Delhi High Court, which had rejected his bail plea in the matter, had come up for hearing before a bench of Justices A S Bopanna and Prashant Kumar Mishra. The high court had rejected Khalid's bail plea, saying he was in ..

From terror funding to prisoner's right to dignity, here are important developments from the Delhi High Court on Wednesday

Supreme Court judge Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra on Wednesday recused himself from hearing a plea filed by former JNU student Umar Khalid seeking bail in a UAPA case related to alleged conspiracy behind the riots here in February 2020. Khalid's petition challenging the October 18 last year order of the Delhi High Court, which had rejected his bail plea in the matter, came up for hearing before a bench of Justices A S Bopanna and Prashant Kumar Mishra. "This will come before some other bench. There is some difficulty for my brother (Justice Mishra) to take up this matter," Justice Bopanna said at the outset, without assigning any reason for Justice Mishra's recusal. Advocate Rajat Nair, appearing for the Delhi Police, told the bench that they have filed a counter affidavit but there is an objection shown by the apex court registry on it. "There are certain portion of statements which we have extracted, that portion is in vernacular," he said, adding, "That statement itself is in ..

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