2020 Delhi riots: Supreme Court adjourns hearing on Umar Khalid’s bail plea

Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing on bail plea filed by student activist Umar Khalid who was arrested and charged under the Unlawful Activities Activities (Prevention) Act

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Tuesday adjourned hearing on bail plea filed by student activist Umar Khalid who was arrested and charged under the Unlawful Activities Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy case behind the 2020 Delhi riots.

A bench comprising Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Dipankar Datta was apprised that a letter seeking adjournment has been circulated as senior advocate Kapil Sibal, who would argue on Khalid’s behalf, is appearing before Chief Justice of India D.Y. Chandrachud-led Constitution Bench hearing pleas against abrogation of Article 370. At this, the bench remarked: “How many times? Mr. Sibal is bound to be busy. We cannot wait for any particular senior counsel.” The top court clarified that it is granting the ‘last opportunity’ and posted the plea for hearing in the coming week.

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On August 18, the hearing in the matter was deferred and the plea was directed to be listed after a period of two weeks. Also in Aughst, Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra of the Supreme Court had recused himself from hearing the matter and the plea was directed to be listed before a different bench.

“This will come before some other bench. There is some difficulty on part of my brother (Justice PK Mishra),” a bench headed by Justice A.S. Bopanna told the parties. Khalid has approached the top court against denial of bail by the Delhi High court.

A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar of the high court had rejected Khalid’s appeal seeking regular bail on October 18 last year. He had challenged the trial court order which had denied him bail in connection with the UAPA case.

His alleged offensive speeches delivered at Amaravati during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens were the basis of allegations against him in the riots case.

JNU scholars and activists Khalid, and Sharjeel Imam are among the nearly a dozen people involved in the alleged larger conspiracy case linked with the Delhi riots 2020, as per the Delhi Police. The riots broke out in the national capital in February 2020 as clashes between the anti and pro-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA)protesters took a violent turn, in which more than 50 people lost their lives and over 700 were injured.