Jailed activist and former JNU student Umar Khalid, who was arrested on September 13, 2020, by the Delhi police under the terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in relation to the north-east Delhi 2020 riots case has finally been granted interim bail by a Delhi court.
Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat passed the order. The bail, however, is for one week, December 23 to 30. Court has permitted Khalid to attend his sister’s wedding which falls during that week. He has to surrender himself on December 30.
Senior advocate Trideep Pais represented Khalid whereas Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad appeared for Delhi Police.
On December 7, a Delhi court reserved its order in Khalid’s plea seeking interim bail.
Khalid has been in custody since September 2020. He was denied bail by a Delhi High court bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar on October 18.
Khalid on November 18, moved an application through senior advocate Pais for interim bail before a Delhi court. Advocate Pais informed the court that the prosecution has conducted the verification/investigation. He had also informed that Khalid’s sister’s marriage is scheduled in December, for which the interim bail plea is sought.
Earlier, Delhi Police had opposed Khalid’s application for bail saying that he might spread misinformation via social media and also likely to cause unrest in the society.
“The release of applicant is further opposed as he is very likely to spread misinformation by use of social media during his interim bail period which cannot be prevented and is likely to cause unrest in the society. He may also influence witnesses,” police had said.
This year, Umar Khalid completed two years in Tihar jail. He was accused of ‘ participating in terrorist activities and criminal conspiracy against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’.
(With IANS inputs)
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