The lower court had last month allowed the investigating agency’s application for extension of time for a probe till September 14.THE DELHI High Court Tuesday dismissed a plea filed by an accused in a UAPA case in connection with the Northeast Delhi riots, against a trial court order allowing the Delhi Police more time to probe the matter.The petition had been filed by Khalid, a member of the group ‘United Against Hate’, who is an accused in a case filed by the Crime Branch in March over an alleged “pre-planned conspiracy”.
Activist Umar Khalid, Jamia Millia Islamia student Safoora Zargar and others are also accused in the case. The provisions of UAPA were added to the case in April.
The lower court had last month allowed the investigating agency’s application for extension of time for a probe till September 14. Khalid, through his counsel before the HC, argued that the order violates principles of natural justice as he was neither provided a copy of the application nor given a “meaningful opportunity” to oppose it.
Justice Vibhu Bakhru, in the order pronounced on Tuesday, said orders passed by the lower court indicate that ample opportunity was provided to Khalid to make a representation to oppose the extension of time. “A plain reading of the written submissions filed on behalf of petitioner indicates that the petitioner had limited his submissions to insisting that a copy of the application cum report of the public prosecutor be supplied to it in order for the petitioner to make further submissions,” the order passed by the single bench reads.