What happened (Umar Khalid bail plea in a UAPA case)

Activist Umar Khalid filed a bail application before the Delhi High Court in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The UAPA case is connected to the alleged “larger conspiracy” behind the February 2020 north-east Delhi riots.

The High Court scheduled the bail matter for hearing before a bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Vikas Mahajan. Khalid’s appeal challenges a trial court order dated July 4 that dismissed his bail request.

Khalid was arrested in September 2020. The UAPA prosecution places him among alleged “masterminds” behind the violence that, according to the case description, resulted in 53 deaths and over 700 injuries. The alleged violence is stated to have been linked to protests connected with the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 and the proposed National Register of Citizens.

Background and earlier position

The trial court’s decision dated July 4 rejected Umar Khalid’s bail request. After that rejection, Umar Khalid approached the Delhi High Court to seek bail in the same UAPA prosecution.

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