Delhi riots: Umar Khalid sent in judicial custody till Oct 22

Former JNU student Umar Khalid, arrested in connection with Delhi riots that happened in February this year, has been sent to judicial custody till October 22.

Khalid was earlier arrested under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA). He was produced before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat on Thursday through video conferencing after his 10-day police custody expired.

Khalid’s lawyer Trideep Pais sought protection for his client inside the jail because he faced threat to his life. The lawyer also sought court’s directives to the jail superintendent to allow him to carry his spectacles inside the jail.

Khalid also spoke to the judge and sought permission to meet his parents before going to Tihar jail. The court has permitted Khalid’s parents to meet him on the condition that they reach in time and Khalid’s medical examination and other formalities are not hindered.

Also read: Delhi riots: Khurshid, Kavitha Krishnan figure in charge sheet for ‘provocative speeches’

An FIR was registered against Khalid on March 6. The FIR was filed on the basis of an information received by a sub-inspector of the narcotics unit of the crime branch. The Northeast Delhi riots in February were part of a “premeditated conspiracy” allegedly hatched by Khalid, one Danish, and two others, said the sub-inspector in his statement.

The FIR states: “Khalid allegedly gave provocative speeches at two different places and appealed to the citizens to come out on the streets and block the roads during the visit of US President Donald Trump to spread propaganda at the international level about how minorities in India are being persecuted.”

The Delhi police filed a chargesheet last week which named Congress leader Salman Khurshid, CPI-ML Politburo member Kavita Krishnan, student activist Kawalpreet Kaur, scientist Gauhar Raza and advocate Prashant Bhushan.