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Activist Umar Khalid, jailed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly conspiring to incite the 2020 Delhi riots, appeared in court on Friday, challenging the basis of the case against him. Khalid argued that the timing of the recording of statements against him was suspicious, pointing out that he was in jail at the time the riots occurred.

His lawyer, Trideep Pais, told the court, "If the case relies only on statements, where will it go? It will continue the way it has for the last five years. Will anyone be questioned about Alpha, Beta, and Gamma?"

No Physical Evidence

Pais emphasized that no seizures or physical evidence have been found against Khalid. Khalid himself noted, "There are 751 FIRs registered in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. I am not an accused in any of them except one—the larger conspiracy case."

Case Based on Witness Statements

The prosecution alleges that Khalid attended a meeting in Jangpura on December 8, 2019, where a conspiracy related to the riots was discussed. Only two people from that meeting have been charged, while other attendees remain unnamed. Khalid’s lawyer questioned the delay in recording statements, saying, "If this meeting was the main conspiracy meeting, why did it take so long to take statements?"

Pais further argued, "I’m not saying you can’t file an FIR if you have evidence. But naming my client and calling it a conspiracy based on statements recorded almost six months after the FIR and 11 months after the meeting makes the FIR farcical."

Alleged WhatsApp Evidence

The FIR cites three messages Khalid allegedly sent to the Delhi Protest Support Group WhatsApp group as the starting point of the conspiracy. Khalid’s lawyer criticized this, calling the FIR “a joke” and highlighting that his client has spent five years in custody under charges that lack substantial evidence.