Umar Khalid's bail plea dismissed in 2020 Delhi riots case

A Delhi court rejected the bail plea filed by former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid on Tuesday. Khalid was accused in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 northeast Delhi communal riots. He was booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai rejected the bail plea. The detailed order is awaited.

Khalid had approached the trial court after withdrawing his bail plea before the Supreme Court on February 14, 2024.

A Supreme Court bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal was slated to hear the matter on February 14 when Khalid's counsel Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, informed the Court that the bail plea was being withdrawn, Bar and Bench reported.

"We wish to withdraw due to change of circumstances and move the trial court for appropriate relief," the counsel was quoted as saying.

Why was Umar Khalid arrested?
Khalid was arrested in September 2020 and charged with criminal conspiracy, rioting, unlawful assembly as well as several other offences under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). He has been lodged in jail since then.

In 2022, Khalid was discharged by Delhi's Karkardooma Court in a riot-related case booked in February 2020. Along with him, the court had also discharged United Against Hate member Khalid Saifi. However, both continued to remain in judicial custody since they are yet to get bail in an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case.

The trial court had first denied bail to Khalid in March 2022. He then approached the high court which also denied him relief in October 2022, prompting him to file an appeal before the top court.

In May 2023, the Supreme Court sought the response of the Delhi Police in the matter. His plea before the Supreme Court was then adjourned 14 times.