No Issue, Except for Curbing of Liberties: Umar Khalid from Jail

“Except for the curbing of liberties and malicious investigation in the case, I’ve no other problems,” said Khalid.

File image of Umar Khalid, used for representational purposes.

(Photo: Altered by Kamran Akhter/The Quint)

Former JNU student Umar Khalid, who was arrested in connection with a case related to the Northeast Delhi riots, told the court on Friday, 20 November, that he was not facing any problem in the jails, except for “curbing of liberties and a malicious investigation”, reported The Indian Express.

According to The Indian Express, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat had asked Khalid whether the issues stated earlier by Khalid in the jail have now been resolved.

Khalid, in his response, reportedly said:

“Except for the curbing of liberties and malicious investigation in the case, I have no other problems.”   

More Details

Khalid and JNU student Sharjeel Imam were produced before the Delhi Court through video conferencing, reported The Indian Express.

The Court has since sentenced them to judicial custody till 23 November. They will also be produced before the court on Monday, with 15 others who have been held under UAPA and are being probed by the Special Cell of Delhi Police, reported The Indian Express.

Trideep Pais, appearing for Khalid, told the court that he went through the application seeking his judicial custody.

“How much trouble they have taken to see that this application is different from the previous one…it is nearly packaged without any typographical errors.”   

Background

On 3 November, multiple accused in the North-East Delhi riots case had complained that they were being denied warm clothes and access to medicines amid a COVID-19 outbreak in the jail, reported the Indian Express. They said they were also being denied letters from their families.

ASJ Rawat had thereby warned the officials at Tihar jail that he would conduct a physical inspection of the jail premises.

Former JNU student leader and anti-CAA activist Umar Khalid told a Delhi court on Thursday, 22 October, that Tihar jail authorities are keeping him under solitary confinement and he is not being allowed to talk to anyone or step out of his cell.

Khalid, who is under custody in a UAPA case related to alleged conspiracy behind Delhi riots, appeared virtually before Additional Sessions judge Amitabh Rawat on Thursday.

He had said, as quoted by The Indian Express:

<i>“Your honour, I just wanted to bring your attention to some events that have happened inside the jail. I am aware that you have passed an order on 17 October saying that I would be given adequate security cover and will be able to continue with my routine day to day without any discrimination. However, for the last 3-4 days, I have been not allowed to step out of my jail cell, it’s practically solitary confinement. Nobody is allowed near my cell. I am not allowed to step out of my cell. No one is allowed to talk to me. I wanted to just bring this to your notice because this is in contravention of your orders”.</i>