Jailed activist Umar Khalid receives 7-day interim bail to attend a family wedding, while his regular bail plea in the Delhi riots conspiracy case remains pending before the High Court.
In a significant development, a Delhi Court has granted 7-day interim bail to jailed human rights activist and former JNU scholar Umar Khalid to attend a family wedding, while his regular bail plea remains pending before the Delhi High Court. This decision comes amid widespread criticism of the legal proceedings under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA), seen by many as an attack on dissent.
Interim Bail Granted by Karkardooma Court
- On December 18, 2024, Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Court allowed Khalid’s interim bail from December 28, 2024, to January 3, 2025, to attend his cousin’s wedding.
- Khalid was directed to furnish a personal bond of ₹20,000 along with two sureties of the same amount.
Conditions imposed during the interim bail period resemble a tightrope walk of restrictions:
- No contact with witnesses or any individuals associated with the case.
- A complete blackout on social media usage. Imagine a world of celebration where Khalid must stay disconnected from the digital world, a stark contrast to his days as an outspoken activist.
- Restricted to meeting only family members, relatives, and friends — a narrow circle compared to the vast networks he once engaged with.
- Must remain either at his residence or at wedding venues — a confined freedom, where every movement is scrutinized.
- Khalid must surrender before the concerned Jail Superintendent by the evening of January 3, 2025.
Legal Context and Previous Bail Rejections: A Marathon of Delays
- Arrested in September 2020 under FIR 59 of 2020, Khalid faces charges of criminal conspiracy, rioting, and offences under the UAPA — a law known for its draconian bail conditions.
- He shares this legal battle with others like Tahir Hussain, Khalid Saifi, Ishrat Jahan, Meeran Haider, and Safoora Zargar — each name a symbol of a broader struggle.
- His bail plea before the Supreme Court was adjourned 14 times before he finally withdrew it, a move that left many questioning the wheels of justice.
- On May 28, 2024, the trial court rejected his second bail application, pushing the battle to the Delhi High Court.
- Earlier, the Delhi High Court denied bail in October 2022, marking another brick in the wall of delays.
Accusations and Public Criticism: Dissent or Conspiracy?
- Khalid’s arrest is tied to allegations of a "larger conspiracy" behind the 2020 North-East Delhi riots — a period of violence that left scars on the city.
- Civil society sees these UAPA charges as a "crackdown on dissent," painting a picture of a government intolerant of criticism.
- Khalid’s defense argues he has "no role in the violence" and "no conspiratorial connect" with others accused.
- His detention is viewed as a politically motivated silencing of a vocal critic.
A Delayed Justice Process: The Clock Ticks, Justice Waits
- Khalid’s legal battle is like a marathon with no finish line in sight. Repeated adjournments have turned his plea for justice into a saga of delays.
- The use of UAPA provisions is akin to wielding a heavy hammer to squash dissent, making bail nearly impossible.
Source : The Indian Express
