Court extends judicial custody of Umar Khalid in Delhi riots case

New Delhi: A Delhi court has extended by three days the judicial custody of former JNU student leader Umar Khalid and JNU student Sharjeel Imam who were arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in a case related to the communal violence in northeast Delhi in February.

Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat extended their judicial custody till November 23 as sought by the public prosecutor.

During the hearing held through video conferencing, Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad, appearing for the police, said the mandatory time period of 90 days to complete the probe in the case will be completed on November 23 and the charge sheet has to be filed.

Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam have been arrested in the case for allegedly being part of a premeditated conspiracy in the riots.

When the judge asked Mr Prasad whether the police was going to file the charge sheet on Monday, he did not give any specific date and said he will let the court know on November 23.

Advocate Trideep Pais, appearing for Umar Khalid, opposed the remand application saying it was "hollow" like the earlier applications.

The judge then asked Khalid if he was facing the problems now in Tihar prison, as mentioned earlier by him.

Umar Khalid replied, "Besides curbing my liberties and a malicious investigation, I am not facing any other issues."

Umar Khalid had earlier alleged that he has not been allowed to step out of his cell or meet anyone while in judicial custody. Imam's counsel Surabhi Dhar informed the court that certain documents which he had written while in custody in Assam was taken from him when he was brought to Delhi and has not been returned yet.

Imam too said the documents were taken from him at the gate of Tihar prison.

The court has put up the matter for further hearing on November 23. Communal clashes broke out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.