Delhi riots: AAP govt, MHA give nod to prosecute JNU's Umar Khalid under UAPA

The Arvind Kejriwal-led AAP government has given sanction to Delhi Police for the prosecution of former Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid in a UAPA case related to the February communal violence in northeast Delhi that left at least 53 persons dead.

The sanction was given in the riots conspiracy case, in which Khalid was booked under the stringent anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

As the police has received prosecution sanction against Khalid from both the Aam Aadmi Party government and the Home Ministry, it can now name him in their supplementary charge sheet.

Hitting out at Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, Khalid's father SQR Ilyas tweeted, "Arvindkejriwal unveiled."

Taking to Twitter, JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh said, "Mr Kejriwal, each and every betrayal won't be forgotten."

"I am happy for my friends in the US. Regardless of the final outcome, they can take solace in the fact that they at least have a real opposition," former JNU students leader Shehla Rashid tweeted quoting a story about sanction to Umar Khalid's prosecution.

In a late evening statement, the government said that this is a purely procedural matter, adding that the elected government has no role to play in this.

"The law department has given its legal opinion after due diligence to the home department of Delhi government. The elected government has no role to play in this.

"Delhi government has not stopped prosecution in any case in the last five years, including those pertaining to AAP MLAs and party leaders," it stated.

To prosecute the accused under Section 13 of the UAPA, the Delhi Police needed the sanction from the MHA and under Sections 16, 17 and 18 from the Delhi government.

Khalid was arrested under the UAPA in a separate case related to the alleged larger conspiracy in connection with the riots in February 2020.

The Delhi Police has filed a 17,500-page charge sheet against 15 persons for "propagating violence" during the riots. The charge sheet was filed under the UAPA, Arms Act, and the Indian Penal Code.

The accused include Pinjra Tod members and JNU students Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal, Jamia Millia Islamia student Tanha, Gulfisha Khatoon, former Congress Councillor Ishrat Jahan, Jamia Coordination Committee members Zargar, Meeran Haider, Shafa-Ur-Rehman, suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain, activist Khalid Saifi, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Salim Malik, Mohd Salim Khan and Athar Khan.

They have been listed in the charge sheet for allegedly being part of a larger conspiracy in the riots.

(With agency inputs)