A Delhi court has deferred its decision on the bail plea of former JNU student Umar Khalid, an accused in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 northeast Delhi communal riots. Khalid, who has been charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), has been in jail since September 2020.
The Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai, presiding over the case, stated that the order on Khalid’s bail plea will be pronounced on May 28.
During the hearing, Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad presented written submissions opposing Khalid’s plea. Prasad had earlier argued against granting bail to Khalid, citing WhatsApp chats that allegedly indicated his involvement in creating social media narratives to influence bail hearings.
In response, Khalid’s counsel questioned the assertion, querying whether sharing WhatsApp messages could be considered a criminal or terror act. The court is expected to consider these arguments before making its decision on Khalid’s bail application.
