Chargesheet against me looks like a film script: Umar Khalid to court

Delhi Court Image Courtesy:khaboreprakash.com

A Delhi court continued to hear the bail arguments of Dr. Umar Khalid, accused in the North East Delhi violence case of 2020, through his lawyer, senior counsel, Trideep Pais.

Pais referred to the WhatsApp group that was allegedly made to conspire with co-accused persons to unleash terror in the National Capital. He argued that Umar Khalid never sent a single message in this said group. The chargesheet has stated that Khalid and co-accused Sharjeel Imam communicated about the violence. But Pais argued, “No communication between me and Sharjeel Imam…just being in a group is not a crime. Your (Delhi Police) wish to paint everyone in the same brush crumbles when you look at your chargesheet. Script is nicely tied up. Can we paint these people with one brush. Like it looks like a film script,” reported The Indian Express.

Pais further alleged that there was no consistency in the chargesheet as it first claims that Imam and Khalid have a difference of opinion and later states that Imam was mentored by Khalid who asked him to start the WhatsApp group.

As per a LiveLaw report, the chargesheet filed under the UAPA FIR number 59 of 2020 reads, “On December 17, 2019, an agitation against CAA bill was called by United against hate at Jantar Mantar. Sharjeel Imam joined this agitation…Sharjeel Imam was introduced to Yogender Yadav by Umar Khalid, his senior and mentor.” Pais objected to this and said that such allegations by the Delhi Police are “dangerous”.

He also reportedly added that no witness has said that Sharjeel Imam and Umar were introduced. The IE quoted Pais saying, “The officer who was writing this wants to have a story to tell you. However, he forgets that he is not a storyteller. He is dealing with the law. This is how you want to frame the people.”

Trideep Pais further argued that organising a protest meeting and planning a chakka jam (road blockade) is not an offence that attracts the charges of criminal conspiracy. He also referred to a portion in the chargesheet which states that there was a secret meeting in Jangpura, Delhi, to plan the February violence. The Police had him photographed and Pais argued that it was not a “secret meeting” if the Police knew about his whereabouts.

In the previous hearing, Khalid had withdrawn his section 439 bail application and filed a fresh one under section 437 of the Criminal Procedure Code. This was done when the Delhi Police had raised an objection to the 439 application because of maintainability issues. As we have previously reported in SabrangIndia, Pais has also argued that the Police misquoted Khalid’s speech and the chargesheet against him is a fertile imagination of the Police.

Last month, Khalid, who has been booked under the anti-terror law, completed a year in prison. He has been accused of sections 13 (Punishment for unlawful activities), 16 (Punishment for terrorist act), 17 (Punishment for raising funds for terrorist act) and 18 (Punishment for conspiracy) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

His bail hearing will continue on November 2.