Student leader and co-founder of United Against Hate, Umar Khalid is a courageous and outspoken defender of constitutional values. Constantly the target of the BJP government, Right-Wing trolls, rabid TV anchors and survivor of an assassination attempt, nothing has managed to subdue his voice.
Sections 186 (Obstruction of public servant from discharging duty), 153A (Wantonly giving provocation with intent to cause a riot), 427 (Causing damage by mischief), 120B (Criminal conspiracy), 302 (Murder), 353 (Assaulting public servant), 435 (Mischief by fire or explosive substance), 124A (Sedition), 307 (Attempt to Murder), 395 (Dacoity) and Sections 13, 16, 17 and 18 of UAPA
Timeline
May 28, 2024
A Karkardooma Court judge in Delhi rejected scholar and activist Umar Khalid’s bail plea. Khalid has been jailed since September 2020 in connection with what Delhi police claims is the Delhi riots’ ‘conspiracy’ case. Khalid is an undertrial.
April 10, 2024
The investigating agency, Delhi police completed its arguments against his bail plea and stated in court that Khalid “amplified false narrative” on social media, before Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai.
February 14, 2024
Mr. Khalid withdrew his petition from the Supreme Court citing a “change in circumstances.” Mr. Sibal, appearing for Mr. Khalid, said that he would try his luck before a trial court instead. Accordingly, the bench comprising Justices Bela Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal dismissed the petition as withdrawn.
February 7, 2024
The hearing of the plea was deferred since Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal were occupied in a Constitution Bench adjudicating upon the validity of sub-classification within the SC/ST reserved categories.
February 1, 2024
A Bench comprising Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal did not take up the matter before lunch. Since the Bench was slated to sit in a different combination post lunch, the matter was adjourned to February 7.
January 31, 2024
The matter could not be taken up since the Bench was occupied with cases involving the Enforcement Directorate. The court said that it would hear the matter the following day even though Mr. Sibal pointed out that he would be occupied with the Aligarh Muslim University matter before the Constitution Bench.
January 24, 2024
A Bench of Justices Bela Trivedi and Ujjal Bhuyan adjourned the matter since it came up just before lunch, and the combination of the bench was slated to change after lunch to hear part-heard matters. While deferring the hearing to January 31, Justice Trivedi, however, clarified that the case would be listed ‘high on the board’.
January 10, 2024
Preoccupied with the constitutional bench hearing, Mr. Sibal requested A Bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal to adjourn the matter. The court emphasised that this would be the "final" adjournment in the matter.
November 29, 2023
A Bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma adjourned the hearing of the bail plea after they were apprised that senior advocate Kapil Sibal representing Khalid as well as Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju for the Delhi Police were unavailable. The bench then proposed to list the matter next week. However, since Mr. Sibal will be arguing before a Constitution Bench, the Court adjourned the matter to January 10, 2024.
October 12, 2023
Bench of Justices Bela Trivedi and Dipankar Datta adjourned the hearing of the bail plea to November 1 citing 'paucity of time.' Mr. Sibal pleaded with the Court that he would need just 20 minutes to show that there was no case against Mr. Khalid.
September 12, 2023
A Bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M. Trivedi admitted the bail plea but agreed to hear it only after four weeks saying that the case would have to be heard and decided after going through the documentary evidence. “We will grant leave now and list the case after four weeks... You have to show us what evidence is available and how it does not match with the charges against you,” Justice Bose said, addressing Mr. Sibal.
September 5, 2023
The bail hearing was adjourned for one more week due to the unavailability of Mr. Sibal since he was appearing before the Constitution Bench led by Chief Justice D.Y. Chandrachud in the case relating to the abrogation of Article 370, which resulted in the revocation of the special status of the State of Jammu and Kashmir.
Expressing her disapproval over the request for adjournment, Justice Trivedi remarked, “Mr. Sibal is known to be busy. We do not wait for any particular senior counsel.” The Bench finally decided to adjourn the hearing to the next week,, saying this would be the “last opportunity” to hear the plea.
August 18, 2023
The revised Bench of Justices Aniruddha Bose and Bela M. Trivedi adjourned the hearing for two weeks after pointing out that the matter needs to be heard on a non-miscellaneous day as it required an elaborate hearing of arguments. As per the existing protocol, Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays are non-miscellaneous days in the Supreme Court when regular hearings are held, whereas fresh matters are taken up on Mondays and Fridays.
August 17, 2023
The bail plea was initially listed for hearing again before the Bench comprising Justice A.S. Bopanna and Prashant Kumar Mishra despite the latter’s recusal being recorded in the earlier hearing. The matter was later dropped from the cause list and not heard.
August 9, 2023
The matter was listed before a Bench comprising Justices A.S. Bopanna and Prashant Kumar Mishra, however, as soon as the hearing began, Justice Bopanna remarked “This will come before some other bench. There is some difficulty on part of my brother.” Owing to Justice Prashant Kumar Mishra’s recusal without any explanation being recorded, the matter was adjourned to August 17, to be taken up by another bench.
July 24, 2023
A Bench of Justices A.S. Bopanna and Bela M. Trivedi adjourned the hearing by one week after a letter seeking adjournment was circulated by Mr. Khalid’s counsel.
July 12, 2023
Delhi police sought more time to file its reply, saying that the chargesheet was "voluminous." Mr. Sibal pointed out to the Bench that Mr. Khalid had been in jail for 2 years and that a hearing on his plea for personal liberty should not be delayed more. Bench posted the matter for hearing on July 24.
May 18, 2023
A Bench led by Justice A.S. Bopanna had first issued notice on May 18 last year. The next date of hearing, July 12, saw the government seek an adjournment. On July 24, the petitioner’s side had sought time.
March 24, 2022
Having deferred the bail order thrice (March 14, 21 and 23), the court denies bail to Umar Khalid by making out a prima facie case based on implausible, contradictory and vague witness statements without taking into consideration material facts of the case.
March 14, 2022
Bail order deferred to March 21. (It is again deferred on March 21 to March 23, and finally to March 24).
March 3, 2022
Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat reserves the bail order after hearing arguments from both sides. Order to be pronounced on March 14.
February 1, 2022
Bail hearings continue. Prosecution claims that Delhi riots were successful due to synchronisation and mobilisation.
January 24, 2022
Bail hearing continue. Prosecution, that had started making submissions on Jan 11, says that protest sites across Delhi were indeed organised and were not at all organic.
November 8, 2021
Bail arguments continue. Contradictory statements of witnesses presented in the case are brought to the Court’s attention.
November 3, 2021
Bail hearings continue. Umar Khalid argues that creating a chakka jam or being a part of a Whatsapp group cannot be a criminal act.
October 12, 2021
Bail hearing continues, Umar Khalid argues that the Delhi Police wish to paint everyone in the same brush and that the chargesheet reads like a film script.
September 6, 2021
In order to avoid maintainability issue of the bail application, Umar Khalid withdraws his earlier bail application under section 439 of CrPC and substitutes it with a new one under section 437.
September 3, 2021
Delhi court continues to hear the bail plea. Umar Khalid argues that the police have no evidence against him and that the chargesheet gives the case a communal colour by calling him a veteran of sedition.
Aug 23, 2021
Umar Khalid appears before the Delhi Court for a hearing of his bail plea and argues that the UAPA case is being used to selectively target people who oppose CAA.
May 26, 2021
Khalid writes letter from Tihar, condoling Mahavir Narwal’s death, and his anxieties about staying away from his loved ones amidst a raging pandemic.
May 6, 2021
Delhi Court rejects Delhi Police’s plea to produce Umar Khalid and Khalid Saifi by
handcuffing in both hands, on grounds of being high risk prisoners, holding that they
are not “previous convicts or gangsters”.
April 24, 2021
Umar Khalid tests positive for Covid-19 inside Tihar Jail
April 15, 2021
Delhi Trial court grants bail to Dr. Khalid under IPC charges, noting that the material against him was sketchy and cannot incarcerated indefinitely on the basis of such evidence.
October 12, 2020
October 1, 2020
Behind Bars in connection with Khajuri Khas violence case.
September 16, 2020
Delhi Police file chargesheet against Umar Khalid and 14 others. The charge sheet runs up to 11 volumes, totalling over 17,000 pages.
September 12, 2020
Behind Bars on charges of conspiring to incite communal violence during the Delhi Riots of 2020
July 31, 2020
Umar Khalid questioned in connection with the Delhi Riots.
February 17, 2020
Umar Khalid calls for peaceful protests based on Gandhian principles, which Amit Malviya (BJP IT Cell Head) takes out of context and posts a viral tweet.
January 14, 2019
Delhi Police file a 1200-page chargesheet against Umar Khalid and Kanhaiya Kumar in connection with the JNU Sedition Row.
August 13, 2018
Assassination attempt made on Umar Khalid outside the Constitution Club of India.
January 4, 2018
Pune Police file FIR against Umar Khalid for promoting enmity between two groups at the Elgaar-Parishad event.
February 13, 2016
Umar Khalid, then pursuing a PhD at JNU, Behind Bars on charges of ‘criminal conspiracy’ and ‘sedition’ under Sections 124A and 120B of the Indian Penal Code in connection with an event to protest the execution of the 2001 Parliament attack convicts, Afzal Guru and Maqbool Bhat.
