Delhi Riots: Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid arrested under UAPA; to be produced in court today

Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid was arrested by the Delhi Police on Sunday night, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with northeast Delhi riots that broke out in February this year.

Former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Umar Khalid was arrested by the Delhi Police on Sunday night, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with northeast Delhi riots that broke out in February this year.

Khalid was already booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) along with Jamia student and RJD youth wing president Meeran Haider, JCC media coordinator Safoora Zargar, and Danish, a resident of northeast Delhi's Bhajanpura.

The arrest came hours after Delhi police issued a statement on Sunday in which it asked those who had doubts and questions about the northeast Delhi riots probe to take a legal course at the appropriate time.

Also read

Delhi violence: Suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain sent to judicial custody in money laundering case

The Delhi police had said that various interest groups are using social media platforms and other online portals to raise questions about the fairness of investigation of the northeast Delhi riot cases.

"My son Umar Khalid has been arrested tonight at 11 pm by Special Cell, Delhi Police under UAPA. Police was questioning him since 1 pm. He has been implicated in Delhi riots," said Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, father of Umar Khalid.

Khalid was summoned on Saturday and Sunday and was arrested after being questioned for around 10 hours. The former JNU student will be produced before a Delhi court today, i.e. Monday.

Khalid was called by the Crime Branch for questioning on September 2 in the northeast Delhi riots case. He was let off after the questioning.

Earlier, retired IPS officer Julio Ribeiro, who was former Mumbai police commissioner, DGP Gujarat and Punjab, and former Indian Ambassador to Romania, has written to Delhi Police Commissioner SN Shrivastava, questioning the probe into the northeast Delhi riots cases.

In a charge sheet filed by the Delhi Police Crime Branch against suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, the investigating officer had alleged that on January 8, more than a month before the riots, Hussain had met with Umar Khalid and Khalid Saifi of 'United Against Hate' at the Shaheen Bagh anti-CAA protest, and Umar asked him to be prepared for something big at the time of Trump's visit.

Later, the special cell started a probe into the larger conspiracy in connection with the Delhi violence.

Since December, Delhi was brimming with tensions after the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) was passed. A sit-in protest against it started at various parts of the national capital. An agitation also started near Jafrabad metro station in northeast Delhi.

In February, violence took place in the northeast area of Delhi between groups supporting and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), which led to the deaths of at least 53 people.

(With inputs from agencies)