Umar Khalid

Datanomics: Low rate of conviction under UAPA, but rise in arrests

UAPA sees thousands of arrests but few convictions, with nearly 90% of cases pending, raising concerns over prolonged detention and due process

'Umar Khalid not my guru, never spoke to him at JNU': Sharjeel Imam

The hearing comes days after Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid were denied bail by the Supreme Court in the 2020 Delhi riots case

Delhi riots case: Supreme Court denies bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam

Supreme Court refuses bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots conspiracy case, citing a prima facie UAPA case, while granting relief to other accused

Delhi riots conspirators must face strictest punishment: CM Rekha Gupta

Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday welcomed the Supreme Court's decision refusing bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, saying those responsible for pushing the city into violence must face the harshest punishment. The Supreme Court on Monday refused bail to Khalid and Imam in the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi riots, but granted relief to five other accused, citing a "hierarchy of participation". A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria said there was a prima facie case against Khalid and Imam under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. "We welcome the court's decision. The court has rejected the bail applications of Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, who are accused in the Delhi riots case. Those who pushed Delhi into the fire of riots should receive the strictest possible punishment," Gupta told PTI Videos. A strong message should be sent to political parties that supported those involved in th

'Jail is my life now, relieved for those granted bail,' says Umar Khalid

Umar Khalid said he was happy and relieved for others who got bail, even as he said that jail is his life now, his partner Banojyotsna Lahiri quoted him as saying. The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy matter, saying there was a prima facie case against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. However, the top court granted bail to activists Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad in the case. "'I am really happy for the others, who got bail! So relieved', Umar said. 'I'll come tomorrow for Mulaqat', I replied. 'Good good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai'. #UmarKhalid" Banojyotsna posted on X. The February 2020 riots in northeast Delhi left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured. According to the Court, delay in trial does not operate as a "trump card" which automatically displaces statutory safeguards. The February 2020 riots in northea

'Unfortunate': Umar Khalid's father as SC denies bail in Delhi riots case

Umar Khalid's father S Q R Ilyas said it was "unfortunate" that the Supreme Court denied bail to his son in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy matter, saying there was a prima facie case against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. "No comments. It is unfortunate. I have nothing to say. The judgement is there, and I have nothing to say," Ilyas said. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria, however, granted bail to activists Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad in the case. Meanwhile, Umar Khalid's friend Banojyotsna, in a post on X, said that Umar was happy that others had got bail. "'I am really happy for the others, who got bail! So relieved', Umar said. 'I'll come tomorrow for Mulaqat', I replied. 'Good good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai'. #UmarKhalid" she posted on X. On Dece

BJP asks Congress to apologise after SC denies bail to Umar, Sharjeel

The BJP on Monday said the Supreme Court order denying bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots case is a "big slap" on the Congress' face and demanded that the opposition party apologise for supporting the "tukde-tukde gang". Calling Khalid and Imam the "poster boys" of divisive forces in India, the BJP claimed that the Congress ecosystem was projecting them as "innocent victims" to protect them. The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to Khalid and Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, saying there was a prima facie case against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria, however, granted bail to activists Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad in the case. Reacting to the Supreme Court decision, BJP national spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla wrote on X, "Satyameva Jayate (truth alone triumphs)". "The Supreme Court has denied bai

Why SC denied bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam in 2020 Delhi riots case

The Supreme Court denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, citing a prima facie case under UAPA, but granted bail to five others, pointing to delay and long jail terms

SC denies bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam: A look at case timeline

The Supreme Court has denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots case; the activists have been in jail for over five years as the trial continues

Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam denied bail by SC in 2020 Delhi riots case

The Supreme Court said there was sufficient prima facie material to invoke UAPA against Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, while granting conditional bail to five other accused in the case

Delhi riots case: SC verdict on Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam bail on Jan 5

The Supreme Court will deliver its verdict on the bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case on January 5. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria will pronounce the verdict. On December 10, the top court reserved its verdict on separate pleas of the accused after hearing arguments from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, appearing for Delhi Police, and senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi, Siddhartha Dave, Salman Khurshid and Sidharth Luthra, appearing for the accused. Umar, Sharjeel and the other accused were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), an anti-terror law, and provisions of the erstwhile IPC for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the 2020 riots, which left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured in northeast Delhi. The violence erupted during widespread protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the Natio

US lawmakers write to Indian envoy, seek fair, timely trial for Umar Khalid

A group of US lawmakers has written a letter to Indian Ambassador to the United States Vinay Kwatra, urging a fair and timely trial for activist Umar Khalid in "accordance with international law. US Representatives Jim McGovern and Jamie Raskin are among eight lawmakers who have expressed concern regarding the "prolonged pre-trial detention of individuals charged in connection with the February 2020 violence in Delhi, including Khalid. Khalid and a few others have been booked under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the Delhi riots, which left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured. "The US and India share a long-standing strategic partnership that has historically been rooted in democratic values, constitutional governance and strong people-to-people ties, the letter said, adding that as the world's largest democracies, both nations have an interest

'Thinking of you': NYC mayor Zohran Mamdani pens a letter for Umar Khalid

Khalid's parents visited the US before their youngest daughter's wedding to meet their elder daughter living there. During their visit, they met Mamdani

Umar Khalid gets interim bail from Delhi court to attend sister's wedding

Umar Khalid gets interim bail from Delhi court to attend sister's wedding

Delhi riots case: SC reserves order on bail pleas of Umar, Imam and others

The Supreme Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others in the UAPA case related to the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 riots in Delhi. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria heard arguments from Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju and senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi, Siddhartha Dave, Salman Khurshid and Sidharth Luthra. Strongly opposing the bail pleas of activist Umar, Sharjeel and others, the Delhi Police had said the February 2020 riots were not something spontaneous, but an "orchestrated, pre-planned and well-designed" attack on India's sovereignty. Umar, Sharjeel and other accused were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA) anti-terror law and provisions of the erstwhile IPC for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the 2020 riots, which left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. The violence erupted during widespread .

Doctors, engineers engaging in anti-national activities: Delhi police in SC

The Delhi police on Thursday vehemently opposed the bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others in the February 2020 riots case, saying it had become a trend now for doctors and engineers to engage in anti-national activities. Additional Solicitor General SV Raju, appearing for the Delhi police, told a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria that the delay in trial was attributable to the accused and they cannot take advantage of it. Raju showed in the top court videos of Imam giving "inflammatory speeches" against the Citizenship Amendment Act. The videos showed Imam giving speeches at Chakhand, Jamia, Aligarh, and Asansol in 2019 and 2020 before the riots in February 2020 riots in Delhi. Pointing out that Imam is an engineering graduate, the advocate said, "Nowadays there is a trend that doctors, engineers are not doing their professions but engaging in anti-national activities." Raju added, "It's not a simple protest. These are violent protests. They a

No evidence linking me to 2020 Delhi riots violence: Umar Khalid tells SC

Seeking bail in the UAPA case linked to February 2020 riots in Delhi, activist Umar Khalid on Friday told the Supreme Court that there is no evidence linking him to violence and denied conspiracy charges against him. Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Khalid, told a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria that there has been no recovery of funds, weapons or any material evidence linking him to the 2020 Delhi riots. "There are 751 FIRs, I am charged in one, and if it's a conspiracy, it's a bit surprising! "If I (Umar Khalid) conspired riots. On dates in which riots took place, I was not in Delhi," Sibal said and added that no funds, weapons and physical evidence connecting me to violence have been found yet. "No witness statement actually connects petitioner to any act of violence," he pointed out. Sibal submitted that Khalid is entitled to bail on grounds of parity, noting that fellow activists Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and Asif Iqbal Tanha were granted bail

2020 Delhi riots: SC defers hearing on bail pleas of Umar Khalid, others

The Supreme Court observed that the Delhi Police had sufficient time to respond, adding that in bail matters, filing additional replies is unnecessary despite a request for two more weeks

2020 riots: SC to hear bail pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam on Monday

The Supreme Court is slated to hear on Monday bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima and Meeran Haider in the UAPA case related to the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 riots in Delhi. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria is likely to hear the matter. The top court on September 22 had issued notice to the Delhi Police and sought its response. The activists have moved the apex court challenging the Delhi High Court order passed on September 2. The high court denied bail to nine people, including Khalid and Imam, saying "conspiratorial" violence under the garb of demonstrations or protests by citizens could not be allowed. Besides Khalid and Imam, those who faced bail rejection are Fatima, Haider, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Abdul Khalid Saifi and Shadab Ahmed. The bail plea of another accused, Tasleem Ahmed, was rejected by a different high court bench on September 2. The high court said the Constitution affor

Delhi riots: SC defers hearing on bail pleas of Khalid, Sharjeel to Sept 22

The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned to September 22 the hearing on bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima and Meeran Haider in the UAPA case related to the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 riots in Delhi. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Manmohan deferred the pleas. The activists have challenged a September 2 Delhi High Court order which denied bail to nine people, including Khalid and Imam, saying "conspiratorial" violence under the garb of demonstrations or protests by citizens could not be allowed. Besides Khalid and Imam, those who faced bail rejection are Fatima, Haider, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Abdul Khalid Saifi and Shadab Ahmed. The bail plea of another accused, Tasleem Ahmed, was rejected by a different high court bench on September 2. The high court said the Constitution affords citizens the right to protest and carry out demonstrations or agitations, provided they are orderly, peaceful and without arms