Umar Khalid sent to 10-day police custody by Delhi court in UAPA case for February communal violence

The FIR against Khalid claims that the communal clashes in northeast Delhi were a “premeditated conspiracy” allegedly hatched by him and two others.

Key Highlights

• He was presented before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat through video conferencing due to coronavirus-induced restrictions

• The FIR claimed “in this conspiracy, firearms, petrol bombs, acid bottles and stones were collected at numerous homes”

• The police claimed that Khalid’s co-accused Danish was allegedly responsible for gathering people from two different places to take part in the riots

New Delhi: Less than a day after nabbing Umar Khalid, the Delhi Police on Monday got a 10-day custody of the former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader after he was arrested on Sunday night under the stringent anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for his alleged involvement in the northeast Delhi riots in February.

He was presented before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat through video conferencing due to coronavirus-induced restrictions. The District Court Karkardooma sent him to police remand later in the day.

After he arrested on Sunday night, the police said Khalid needed to be confronted with a huge cache of data. The FIR claims against Khalid that the communal clashes were a “premeditated conspiracy” allegedly hatched by him and two others.

The JNU students have also been charged of sedition, murder, attempt to murder, promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion and rioting.

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

It further said that “in this conspiracy, firearms, petrol bombs, acid bottles and stones were collected at numerous homes”.

The police claimed that Khalid’s co-accused Danish was allegedly responsible for gathering people from two different places to take part in the riots.

“Women and children were made to block the roads under the Jafrabad metro station on February 23 to create tension amidst the neighbourhood people,” the FIR added.

Massive communal riots broke out on February 24 in northeast Delhi after clashes between supporters and protesters of the Citizenship Amendment At spiralled out of control, killing at least 53 people and injuring more than 200 others.