Supreme Court Adjourns Umar Khalid’s Bail Hearing in Delhi Riots Conspiracy Case, Kapil Sibal Unavailable
The Supreme Court has deferred the hearing on Umar Khalid’s bail plea for a week. Khalid, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student, had filed the plea seeking bail in a case related to the conspiracy behind the February 2020 Delhi riots. The case is lodged under the anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The hearing was adjourned as senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who is representing Khalid, was unavailable.
The plea came up for hearing before a bench comprising Justices A S Bopanna and Prashant Kumar Mishra. However, Justice Mishra had recused himself from the case on August 9. The matter was then scheduled for a hearing with a bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Dipankar Datta. But the hearing had to be adjourned due to Kapil Sibal’s unavailability.
Previously, the Delhi High Court had rejected Khalid’s bail plea on October 18, 2022. The high court ruled that Khalid was in constant touch with other co-accused and the allegations against him were prima facie true. It also stated that the accused’s actions prima facie qualified as a terrorist act under the UAPA.
Umar Khalid, along with activist Sharjeel Imam and several others, has been booked under various provisions of the UAPA and the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the masterminds behind the violent Delhi riots in February 2020. The riots, which took place during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), resulted in 53 deaths and over 700 injuries.
In his bail plea, Khalid argued that he had no criminal role in the violence and no conspiratorial connection with any other accused in the case. The Delhi Police, however, opposed his plea and claimed that Khalid’s speech was calculated and raised contentious issues like the Babri Masjid, triple talaq, Kashmir, the alleged suppression of Muslims, and the CAA and NRC.
The adjournment of Umar Khalid’s bail hearing has further delayed the resolution of this high-profile case. As senior advocate Kapil Sibal was unavailable, the hearing had to be rescheduled. Meanwhile, the controversy surrounding the Delhi riots conspiracy case continues to generate public interest and raise questions about the alleged involvement of individuals in the violence. The Supreme Court’s decision in Umar Khalid’s bail plea will have significant implications for the ongoing legal battle and the pursuit of justice in the case.
