Umar Khalid, an accused in the bigger conspiracy case involving the northeast Delhi riots, had his bail application refused by a Delhi court on Thursday.
Khalid, a former student leader at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), was arrested on September 13, 2020, for violating parts of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). On March 3, the Karkardooma court reserved the order.
The order was set to be issued on March 14th. It was postponed due to Umar Khalid’s lawyer failing to file written arguments.
The healthy behaviour of the accused must be shown in the case of conspiracy, according to Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad. There are many chats, as well as additional proof. He also said that there is sufficient evidence against the defendants.
On the precise point posed by the court on Umar Khalid’s lecture at Amaravati, he stated that the Maharashtra police denied permission for the event on February 11, 2020. On the 12th of February, another application was submitted by a Welfare Party of India office-bearer, this time naming six dignitaries in addition to Umar Khalid.
The accused’s father serves as the party’s national president. Despite the fact that permission was only issued for six individuals, Umar Khalid went there and made a speech on February 17th. According to the SPP, a FIR was filed for failure to comply the order.
The accused’s attorney, Senior Advocate Tridip Pais, rebutted the order and FIR, claiming that they were invalid since the right to free expression cannot be restricted. The Maharashtra Police Act contains no such limitations.
He said that Umar Khalid was not identified as a defendant in the FIR filed in the Amaravati case. After the speech, nothing occurred. Because he delivered a speech there, the prosecution cannot label it a terror act. “The prosecution is making a farce of UAPA prosecution.”
He further said that in the charge sheet submitted in the JNU case in 2016, the comment “Bharat tere tukde honge” was not ascribed to Khalid. However, the prosecution has ascribed the comment to him this time. This case is linked to the broader conspiracy of northeast Delhi riots, which resulted in the deaths of 53 people and the injuries of hundreds more.
Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, and others were named in a bigger conspiracy case filed by Delhi police.
