Former JNU student Umar Khalid's bail plea in UAPA case listed for October 7

The Delhi High Court, today, Thursday, August 29, listed for hearing the bail plea of former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid on October 7 in the case registered against him under anti-terror law UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act) over the alleged larger conspiracy behind the communal riots that erupted in the national capital in February 2020. This was stated in a report by PTI.

A bench headed by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait also listed for hearing on the same date the pending bail applications of student activist Sharjeel Imam, United Against Hate Founder Khalid Saifi, and other co-accused in the case.

Following this, the senior counsel appearing for Umar Khalid told the court that the Delhi Police were yet to file a reply to the bail petition on which a notice was issued on July 24.

The bench, also comprising Justice Girish Kathpalia, asked the parties to file written submissions in the matter instead. "Renotify on October 7. Parties are directed to file written submissions within two weeks," the bench said.

Furthermore, Khalid, who was arrested by the Delhi Police in September 2020, has assailed a trial court order which refused to grant him bail in the case.

Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and several others have been booked under the 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 erupted during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

To recall, on May 28, the trial court rejected Umar Khalid's plea seeking regular bail for a second time, saying its previous order dismissing his first bail application had attained finality.

"When the Delhi High Court has already dismissed the criminal appeal of the applicant (Khalid) vide order dated October 18, 2022, and thereafter, the applicant approached the Supreme Court and withdrew his petition, the order of this court as passed on March 24, 2022 (on the first bail plea), has attained finality and now, in no stretch of imagination this court can make analysis of the facts of the case as desired by the applicant and consider the relief as prayed by him," the trial court had said.