Student Activist Umar Khalid Moves Delhi HC Again Seeking Bail In 2020 Delhi Riot Case
New Delhi: Former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader and activist Umar Khalid has once again approached the Delhi High Court seeking regular bail. The student activist has been in jail without trial since 2020 in connection with the Delhi riot case.
A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan is expected to hear Umar Khalid’s bail petition on Friday, July 31. A Karkardooma court on July 4 rejected his bail plea.
While seeking bail, the activist has argued that he has been in jail for nearly six years with his trial still pending. Khalid was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). He has also filed a separate application seeking interim bail.
In his appeal, Khalid argued that although the Supreme Court rejected his earlier bail plea on January 5, more than six months have passed without any significant progress in the trial.
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Khalid submitted that arguments on framing charges are still continuing despite his continuous detention since September 2020. The petition contends that the prolonged incarceration, coupled with the slow pace of the proceedings, justifies reconsideration of his bail request.
