Four years after being accused as a key conspirator in the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots, student activist Umar Khalid continues to languish in Tihar Jail without bail or trial. Khalid, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student, was arrested by the Delhi Police’s special cell under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on September 14, 2020, for his alleged role in the riots, which resulted in 53 deaths, primarily of Muslims.
Throughout this period, Khalid has maintained his innocence, claiming that he only participated in peaceful protests. Despite his repeated attempts to secure bail, his pleas have been consistently rejected by various courts, including the Karkardooma court in March 2022 and the Delhi High Court in October 2022. His case is currently pending before the Supreme Court, where his bail plea has been adjourned 14 times over the past 11 months due to various reasons, including the unavailability of lawyers and the scheduling conflicts of judges.
The riots case, which saw over 2,500 people arrested, has drawn widespread criticism for the quality of the police investigation. Many of the accused in these cases have been granted bail, with over 2,000 people released. However, Khalid remains behind bars as part of a larger conspiracy case, in which 17 other individuals were also implicated, some of whom have since been granted bail.
Khalid’s situation has drawn attention to the broader issue of delayed trials and the challenges of securing bail under stringent laws like the UAPA. His next bail hearing is scheduled for October 12, 2024, but given the history of repeated adjournments, there is uncertainty about when his plea will be fully heard.