New Delhi: Umar Khalid was arrested on 13 September 2020 by the Delhi police alleging Umar’s involvement in Delhi riots took place on 23 February 2020, while the family, friends and the activist himself alleges the arrest was made to curb the voices of dissent and because of his active participation in NRC, CAA agitations, Delhi police booked Umar Khalid under the UAPA 1967 (Unlawful Activity Prevention Act) , he was granted interim bail for a week to attend his sister’s wedding after completing 800 days in jail.
Delhi court had granted bail for Umar back in April 2021, but the activist had to remain in the jail due to other charges against him, Umar is booked under FIR 59/2020 with vice under the IPC, UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act) 1967, 1967 of Arms act, and sections include Sec. 147 of IPC (for rioting), Sec. 148 of IPC (using/rioting with a deadly weapons), Sec. 302 of IPC (For murder), Sec. 307 of IPC (attempts to murder), Sec. 124A of IPC (Sedition), Sec. 153A of IPC (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc, and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony), Sec. 13 of the UAPA (Unlawful Activities), Sec. 16 of the UAPA (terrorists act), Sec. 17 of the UAPA (raising funds for terrorism/terror act) and Sec. 18 of the UAPA (conspiracy etc).
Observing a 1000th day of Umar’s incarceration, his family, friends and activists have oganised a gathering with a theme “Democracy, Dissent & Censorship” at the press club of India, the speakers includes SQR Ilyas (Umar’s father & Pres of Welfare Party of India), Manoj Kumar Jha (MP, RJD party), Renowned Sr journalist Ravish Kumar (Former senior executive editor, NDTV), Prabhat Patnaik (Esteemed academic), Shahrukh Alam (Adv. Supreme court) and Gurmehar Kaur (Author & activist).
Numerous national and International labelled Delhi police’s investigation against Umar as “Deceptive” and an effort to suppress dissent, and calls Umar “Defender of the constitution”, while many still continues to call him an anti national.
On the Thousandth day of Umar Khalid's unjust incarceration, join us for a meeting in solidarity with the political prisoners. pic.twitter.com/DpIlVk0hzH
— Nabiya Khan | نبیہ خان (@NabiyaKhan11) June 8, 2023
