Delhi HC judge recuses from hearing Umar Khalid’s bail plea in UAPA case

The former JNU scholar had approached the high court against the city court’s May 28 order rejecting his second bail plea

Delhi high court (HC) judge Amit Sharma on Monday recused himself from hearing former JNU scholar Umar Khalid seeking bail in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case.

His first bail plea was rejected by Delhi’s Karkardooma court in Marchi 2022. (File photo)

“List before a bench of which one of us (justice Amit Sharma) is not a member,” a bench of justices Prathiba Singh and Amit Sharma said in the order.

The former JNU scholar had approached the high court against the city court’s May 28 order rejecting his second bail plea.

The court had denied bail to Khalid stating that the prosecution wasn’t responsible for any delays and also underscored no “significant change in circumstances” since the first bail rejection.

The court reiterated that Khalid, who has been in custody since September 2020, is facing charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act or UAPA, in connection with the northeast Delhi anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) riots of February 2020, which claimed 53 lives and left hundreds injured.

Khalid was arrested and charged under the anti-terror law for being a part of a broader plot responsible for the riots, the charges he has denied.

His first bail plea was rejected by Delhi’s Karkardooma court in Marchi 2022, which was affirmed by the Delhi high court in October 2022.

Khalid then petitioned the highest court in April of last year.

However, citing a “change in circumstances”, Khalid on February 14 withdrew his bail plea from the Supreme Court where his legal team said they will rather try his luck before the trial court.