The legal battle for former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid took a new turn today, July 24th. The Delhi High Court issued a notice to the Delhi Police, seeking their response on Khalid's bail plea. This comes after a trial court rejected his second bail application in May, labelling it the final chance.
Khalid faces charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) related to the alleged "larger conspiracy" behind the February 2020 Delhi riots. The Delhi Police's particular cell investigating the case accuses him of pre-planning the protests that turned violent.
The High Court bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Girish Kathpalia will hear the matter further on August 29th. This development offers a glimmer of hope for Khalid's supporters, who marked 1,400 days of his imprisonment on July 13th with a social media campaign. The hashtags #UmarKhali1400DaysInJail and #ReleaseAllPoliticalPrisioners trended in a display of solidarity.
The High Court's request for the Delhi Police's stance indicates a potential reevaluation of Khalid's bail application. Whether the court grants bail or not remains to be seen, but this latest development signifies a crucial step in the ongoing legal proceedings.