SC Issues Notice To Centre On Umar Khalid's Plea Against UAPA Provisions

The top court is currently hearing the bail plea by Khalid, who has been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in connection with the riots in Delhi in February 2020.

The Supreme Court is currently hearing the bail plea of former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid.

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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday issued notice to the Centre on former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid's plea challenging various provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.

A bench of justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M Trivedi also said it would hear similar petitions on the issue on November 22.

The top court is currently hearing the bail plea by Khalid, who has been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in connection with the riots in Delhi in February 2020. He allegedly played a key role in the conspiracy of riots that happened during then-US President Donald Trump's visit to India.

Earlier this month, the top court adjourned the hearing citing paucity of time, and posted the matter for hearing on November 1.

However, the top court said it would also hear Khalid's plea seeking bail on November 22.

"Let them all be taken together," the bench said.

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Khalid, had earlier said certain provisions of the UAPA, including provisions concerning terrorism, raising funds for terrorist acts and conspiracy, did not apply in the case.

Khalid had approached the top court challenging an October 2022 Delhi High Court verdict that had denied bail to him.

Khalid, arrested by Delhi Police in September 2020, had sought bail in the High Court on grounds that he neither had any "criminal role" in the violence in the city's northeast area nor any "conspiratorial connect" with any other accused in the case.

The high court had, however, rejected Khalid's bail plea, saying he was in constant touch with other co-accused and the allegations against him were prima facie true.

The high court had also said the actions of the accused prima facie qualified as "terrorist act" under the UAPA.

Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and several others were booked under the anti-terror law UAPA and several provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the February 2020 riots, which left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.