The Delhi High Court on Wednesday sought the police’s response on the bail plea of former Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid in an Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) case related to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 communal riots.
A Bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Girish Kathpalia issued a notice to the police and asked the agency to file its reply by the next date of hearing, August 29. The court will then hear Mr. Khalid’s bail plea and the bail pleas of other co-accused in the case, including student activist Sharjeel Imam.
Mr. Khalid, who was arrested by the police in September 2020, has challenged a May 28 trial court order refusing to grant him relief. He had approached the trial court on February 14 and sought regular bail in the matter on the grounds of delay and parity with other accused in the riots case. Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, and Asif Iqbal Tanha — all accused in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case — have been granted bail by the Delhi High Court.
The police have charged Mr. Khalid with criminal conspiracy, rioting, and unlawful assembly, among other offences, under the UAPA.
This story was originally published in thehindu.com.
