Witnesses cooked up statements in Delhi riots UAPA case: Umar Khalid tells court

“Only four messages have been sent by me to this group since it started. It’s not like the volume of messages would make the crime any lesser but the quality of messages show there is absolutely no role for me,” Umar’s advocate said.

Senior advocate Trideep Pais was arguing for bail on behalf of Umar before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat. The court will hear the arguments now on November 16. (File Photo)

Former JNU student Umar Khalid through his lawyer told a Delhi court Monday that the witnesses in the UAPA case on northeast Delhi riots made cooked up statements and that a case can’t be made on half truths.

Senior advocate Trideep Pais was arguing for bail on behalf of Umar before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat. The court will hear the arguments now on November 16.

Pais told the court that Umar only sent four messages to the WhatsApp group, Delhi Protests Support Group (DPSG), which is now under investigation by the authorities, who claimed the group was used to plan the riots.

“Only four messages have been sent by me to this group since it started. It’s not like the volume of messages would make the crime any less but the quality of messages show there is absolutely no role for me,” Pais said.

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He showed the court a message sent by Umar and said, “I am simply giving people the location of the protest site.”

Pais, after reading out a protected witness statement, said this witness was an “indication of a pattern of false implication in this FIR”.

Pais told the court that a witness had “cherry picked the names” in his statement.

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“Where in his statement, or chargesheet, where is the distinction in the role of persons. You pick one person and leave others. I am not saying others should be arrested…Most people assigned roles are not arrested and I am arrested…Chor ki dhadi me tinka is clearly visible here,” Pais submitted.

“He is not able to point out a single activity which I undertook by virtue of which it could be called a conspiracy or terrorist act,” Pais said.

On police allegations that Khalid wanted rioting and “blood to spill on streets”, Pais argued that there was no search or seizure and nothing whatsoever has been recovered.

While referring to a secret meeting which the police claim took place in Seelampur, Pais argued that the pictures of this meeting were taken and uploaded on Facebook.

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“Let’s see the first allegation that it is a secret meeting. Picture was downloaded. I didn’t know pics were put on Facebook. You allow yourself to be photographed. And you call it a secret meeting?” Pais said.

He argued that “none of the witnesses say this was a secret meeting” and if he was a mastermind, then why will he talk about the conspiracy in front of protected witnesses.

Pais told the court, “I will spill the beans of the conspiracy? How would a person who is a silent whisperer” will only speak in front of a protected witness.

“Witness is clearly a cooked up witness. You can’t have half truth to make a case against me…Most vicious language is used because once you cook up a statement, you can say anything,” Pais argued.

Anand Mohan J

Anand Mohan J is an award-winning Senior Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently leading the bureau’s coverage of Madhya Pradesh. With a career spanning over eight years, he has established himself as a trusted voice at the intersection of law, internal security, and public policy. Based in Bhopal, Anand is widely recognized for his authoritative reporting on Maoist insurgency in Central India. In late 2025, he provided exclusive, ground-level coverage of the historic surrender of the final Maoist cadres in Madhya Pradesh, detailing the backchannel negotiations and the "vacuum of command" that led to the state being declared Maoist-free. Expertise and Reporting Beats Anand’s investigative work is characterized by a "Journalism of Courage" approach, holding institutions accountable through deep-dive analysis of several key sectors: National Security & Counter-Insurgency: He is a primary chronicler of the decline of Naxalism in the Central Indian corridor, documenting the tactical shifts of security forces and the rehabilitation of surrendered cadres. Judiciary & Legal Accountability: Drawing on over four years of experience covering Delhi’s trial courts and the Madhya Pradesh High Court, Anand deconstructs complex legal rulings. He has exposed critical institutional lapses, including custodial safety violations and the misuse of the National Security Act (NSA). Wildlife Conservation (Project Cheetah): Anand is a leading reporter on Project Cheetah at Kuno National Park. He has provided extensive coverage of the biological and administrative hurdles of rewilding Namibian and South African cheetahs, as well as high-profile cases of wildlife trafficking. Public Health & Social Safety: His recent investigative work has uncovered systemic negligence in public services, such as contaminated blood transfusions causing HIV infections in thalassemia patients and the human cost of the fertilizer crisis affecting rural farmers. Professional Background Tenure: Joined The Indian Express in 2017. Locations: Transitioned from the high-pressure Delhi City beat (covering courts, police, and labor issues) to his current role as a regional lead in Madhya Pradesh. Notable Investigations: * Exposed the "digital arrest" scams targeting entrepreneurs. Investigated the Bandhavgarh elephant deaths and the impact of kodo millet fungus on local wildlife. Documented the transition of power and welfare schemes (like Ladli Behna) in Madhya Pradesh governance. Digital & Professional Presence Author Profile: Anand Mohan J at Indian Express Twitter handle: @mohanreports ... Read More

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