Khalid cites non-violence advocacy, long incarceration in UAPA bail plea

DELHI HC HEARS BAIL PLEAS OF UMAR KHALID AND MEERAN HAIDER

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NEW DELHI: Former JNU student Umar Khalid on Friday asked before the Delhi High Court the basis on which the Delhi police made him an accused in a UAPA case related to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 northeast Delhi violence.

Appearing before Justices Navin Chwla and Shalinder Kaur, senior advocate Trideep Pais argued no criminality was alleged against many persons who allegedly attended the conspiracy meetings or made phone calls post the violence.

"There was a meeting; bulk of the meeting is not an accused. How am I an accused? There are two from the meeting who are accused? One Sharjeel Imam and myself. How are we accused when others are not?" asked the senior lawyer.

Pais further argued the number of people present at protests, meetings, on calls - none were made an accused.

"What is the basis of making this person or that person an accused is not even known?" he asked.

He referred to Swaraj India leader Yogendra Yadav and filmmaker Rahul Roy who were not accused in the case despite their presence in the alleged conspiracy meetings and a purported WhatsApp group.

"Of the people who made the call (post violence), five are not even made accused. Saba Diwan, Rahul Roy, etc.," stated Pais.