A Delhi court has sent former JNU student leader Umar Khalid to judicial custody for 14 days in a case related to the communal violence in north-east Delhi in February.
The Metropolitan Magistrate Dev Saroha ordered his judicial remand in connection to the Delhi riots in the Khajuri Khas area. Umar Khalid is one among 15 people who have been arrested for their role in instigating and carrying out riots in the Chand Bagh area of Delhi on February 24.
Umar Khalid seeks ‘adequate protection’, and other facilities
While hearing a plea by Khalid, seeking ‘adequate protection’ in jail, the Delhi court directed the prison authorities and the Jai Superintendent to take ‘precautions’ to ensure that the Delhi riot accused is not harmed. The plea was filed by him through his counsel Trideep Pais. Khalid had also sought permission to communicate with friends and family. He had also stated before the Court that he did not sign any argument or statement during his time in police custody.
Umar Khalid also sought permission to retain his eyeglasses, obtain non-academic books and reading material from outside. He also requested the Court to allow him to leave his prison cell early in the morning and not to be restricted within his cell for a longer duration. He sought permission to be locked only up at dusk as per the Delhi prison rules of 2018.
Umar Khalid seeks permission for private legal interviews
In his plea, Khalid asked the Court’s permission for two ‘legal interviews’ per week with his lawyer for 30 minutes. He had submitted that the meetings via video conferencing must be permitted in such a manner that it is beyond the ‘audible range’ of the prison authorities. He had also requested for headphones to maintain ‘privacy’ during the legal interviews and adequate facilities to share screen via Cisco Webex platform.
