Hearing Adjourned Till November 6 in Delhi Riots Case: A Timeline
The Wire Staff
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday adjourned until November 6 the hearing on bail pleas filed by former JNU scholar Umar Khalid and others accused in the 2020 Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA, Bar and Bench reported. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria heard the matter before directing that arguments continue on Thursday.
Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Umar Khalid, argued that his client had been “singled out” and kept in custody for more than five years despite a lack of direct evidence linking him to any act of violence. Sibal pointed to the 97 acquittals out of 116 riot-related cases and observations by lower courts about fabricated evidence, saying this demonstrated a pattern of unreliable investigation.
He contended that Khalid’s continued incarceration violated his right to liberty when the trial had barely progressed.
The Supreme Court had issued notice to the Delhi Police on September 22 on the appeals filed by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima and Meeran Haider, who are seeking bail in the larger conspiracy case connected to the 2020 Delhi riots.
High court had denied bail
The Delhi high court had dismissed the bail appeals of activists Khalid, Imam, Fatima and others charged in the larger conspiracy case connected on September 2.
Others who have filed bail pleas are Athar Khan, Khalid Saifi, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa ur Rehman, Meeran Haider and Shadab Ahmed, LiveLaw reported.
A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur had reserved its order on July 9 this year after hearings began on December 6, 2024.
A separate bench comprising Justice Subramonium Prasad and Justice Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar also denied bail to co-accused Tasleem Ahmed.
First arrested on September 14, 2020, Khalid was last granted interim bail from December 28-January 3 this year to attend his cousin sister's wedding.
Timeline prepared by Elisha Vermani.
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