The Delhi High Court on Tuesday denied bail to Umar Khalid in the Delhi riots case. Khalid was detained in September 2020 after being prosecuted under the strict UAPA for allegedly engaging in a "larger conspiracy" to incite disturbances, news agency ANI reported.
"There is no merit in the bail appeal. Bail appeal is dismissed," a panel of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Rajnish Bhatnagar said on the former JNU student leader's bail application.
The order was previously reserved on September 9th.
Prior to this, Trideep Pais, Khalid's attorney, had said that Khalid's remarks contained a "categorical demand for non-violence" and protest.
Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and other individuals were charged with violating the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) anti-terror laws for allegedly being the "masterminds" of riots and protests that took place in northeast Delhi and the Jamia neighbourhood of Delhi in December 2019 and February 2020.
Earlier before Delhi HC, Amit Prasad, a special prosecutor, had opposed Khalid's request for bail, arguing that the speech he gave in Amravati in February 2020 was "very calculated" and covered a number of topics, including the Babri Masjid, the triple talaq, Kashmir, the persecution of Muslims, the CAA, and the NRC, as well as calling for "street protests" against the government.
The protest against a legislation, according to Khalid's attorneys, was legitimate and permitted by the Constitution. In addition, Pais said that there was no proof of any call for violence, other than a nonviolent demonstration, and that the police had "cooked up" the claims of plot.
The claim that "women and children" were "deliberately brought in" from other places to "create" a demonstration, according to Pais, was also refuted by the facts.
On the other side, the prosecution contended that a "plot" took place in neighbourhoods with a significant minority population and that protest locations near mosques were identified.
(With Agencies Inputs)