2020 riots larger conspiracy case: Being on WhatsApp group no indication of wrongdoing, Umar Khalid tells HC
Khalid, represented by senior advocate Trideep Pais, told the bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur that others who had “greater roles” in the riots are out on bail.
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Khalid, along with others, is facing allegations of a taking part in pre-planned conspiracy to cause riots in Northeast Delhi between February 23, 2020, and February 25, 2020. Arguing for bail, jailed student activist and an accused in the larger conspiracy case of the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, Umar Khalid, told the Delhi High Court Thursday that merely being part of WhatsApp groups cannot be equated to criminal wrongdoing.
Khalid, represented by senior advocate Trideep Pais, told the bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur that others who had “greater roles” in the riots are out on bail.
Referring to WhatsApp group participation, as has been cited by the prosecution as evidence of criminal conspiracy, Pais argued that Khalid was not communicating on these groups.
“I am not even chatting on that group, I have just been roped in by somebody… Merely being on a group is not any indication of anything wrong… If someone chooses to inform me, it is not attributable to me. Anyway, there was no criminality in the message,” he said on behalf of Khalid.
Pais added that “Ishrat Jahan and Devangana Kalita have roles far more in terms of involvement than me (Khalid)”, both of whom are accused in the case and are out on bail. Further, he pointed to the delay in trial, as a factor to be considered.
Khalid, along with others, is facing allegations of taking part in a pre-planned conspiracy to cause riots in Northeast Delhi between February 23, 2020, and February 25, 2020. He has been booked for offences under the Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Arms Act, and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
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