Umar Khalid, who was arrested under UAPA in connection with the Delhi Riots 2022 case, was presented in front of the Delhi High Court on Monday.
Former JNU student and activist Umar Khalid, who was arrested by authorities under UAPA in connection with the Delhi riots in 2022, was presented in front of the Delhi High Court on Monday, where he contended that the anti-CAA protests were against an “unjust law” and not against Sovereign.
Umar Khalid was arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with the Delhi riots that erupted in February 2022, which saw incidents of violence, looting, and arson across the national capital. Khalid was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and arrested on September 14, 2020.
During the Delhi HC hearing on Monday, Khalid's counsel said several of the acts alleged or incidents cited against him by the police were not even qualifying as ‘terror' and the protestors were not perpetuating violence as contemplated under the UAPA Act.
A bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Rajnish Bhatnagar was hearing Khalid's plea challenging a trial court's order which had on March 24 dismissed his bail application in the case.
Khalid’s lawyers said that the bail plea was dismissed by the special judge on the grounds that the acts by the activist were acts threatening the unity and integrity of India. He further said that the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) were against an unjust law, and not against the Sovereign.
While pointing out that the acts were not pertaining to violence, the council said, “Who are we pointing this at? These are the people who said CAA is discriminatory and they want to be part of India.” He further added that the protestors were opposing the alleged discriminatory criteria of granting or denying citizenship to a certain class of persons.
During the hearing, Justice Mridul said as per precedents, terrorism is an act done with a view to disturb the even tempo of the society, create a sense of fear in the mind of a section of society, and was there any sense of fear instilled in anybody after the riots?
To this, Khalid's counsel replied in affirmative and said the community most affected by the riots had that feeling of fear. He added that the alleged fear was not so grave and “we should not fall in the trap of interpreting everything as terror”.
Riots erupted in Delhi in February 2020 in the backdrop of the anti-CAA and NRC protests, which saw several cases of bloodshed, property destruction, violence, and arson. Khalid was arrested in connection with the riots, and accused of inciting violence through speech.
(With PTI inputs)
READ | Qutub Minar row intensifies after Hindu, Jain idols found on site, govt considering iconography
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
 "‘Anti-CAA protests against unjust law, not against Sovereign’: Umar Khalid on 2020 Delhi riots case")
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
)
)
)
)
)
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}
){kind=small}