Delhi court denies 2020 Delhi riots accused Umar Khalid's bail plea

Umar Khalid, former Jawahar Lal Nehru University (JNU) student who has been alleged of being involved in the conspiracy behind the northeast Delhi riots of February 2020 was denied bail by a Delhi court on May 28.

Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai rejected the bail plea. Further details on the matter are awaited.

Khalid, who was booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) is in jail since September 2020.

In February this year, Khalid had approached the trial court after withdrawing his bail plea before the Supreme Court.

Khalid was arrested in September 2020 and charged with criminal conspiracy, rioting, unlawful assembly as well as several other offences under the UAPA. 

In 2022, Khalid was discharged by Delhi's Karkardooma Court along with United Against Hate member Khalid Saifi in a riot-related case booked in February 2020. 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. After that, he approached the high court which also denied him relief in October 2022, which prompted him to file an appeal before the apex court.

In May 2023, the SC sought the response of the Delhi Police in the matter. Since then, his plea has been adjourned 14 times by the SC.