'Custody Like Solitary Confinement': Umar Khalid Complains; Court Summons Tihar Jail Superintendent

JNU student leader Umar Khalid, who is under custody in a UAPA case for alleged conspiracy behind Delhi riots, complained to a Delhi Court on Thursday about his custody in Tihar jail.

When Khalid was virtually produced before Additional Sessions Judge, Amitabh Rawat, of Karkardooma Court, Delhi, for the extension of remand, he told the judge that the jail authorities were not allowing him to step out of his cell. He added that nobody was allowed to speak to him.

"This is like solitary confinement", he told the judge.

Khalid told the judge that he was aware that the Court had ordered to grant security to him. That order came on a petition filed by him seeking adequate security because of his "ideological differences and dissenting opinion".

"I need security but security cannot be such that I am not allowed to step out of my cell", Umar Khalid told the court.

He told the court that when he complained to the Jail Superintendent, he was allowed to go out of his cell for 10 mins but was asked to be inside again.

At this moment, the Court directed the Jail Superintendent to be present tomorrow for the virtual hearing.

Khalid's lawyer urged the Court to record in the order that he should not suffer any adverse consequence from jail authorities for complaining about them to the court.

Taking note of this submission, the judge told the jail authorities "If an undertrial expresses a grievance, then you don't punish him", the judge told the jail authorities while adjourning the matter till tomorrow.

The police sought the extension of Khalid's judicial custody by 30 days. The Court will consider this plea tomorrow at 2 PM.

Khalid was arrested on the intervening night of September 13/14 in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) by Crime Branch, Special Cell of Delhi Police (FIR No. 59/2020) alleging criminal conspiracy behind the Delhi riots. The police alleged that Delhi riots were linked to the anti-CAA protests spearheaded by Khalid.

Khalid's lawyer had opposed his remand by arguing that he was only organizing protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens(NRC).