Former JNU student Umar Khalid, who was arrested under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection to the north-east Delhi riots case, on Thursday told a court here that he was not allowed to step out of his cell similar to “solitary confinement”.
Mr. Khalid made the allegation while he was being produced before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat through videoconferencing on expiry of his judicial custody in the case.
Mr. Khalid said that while there is a recent direction of the court to provide him security cover inside the jail, he was not allowed to talk to anyone. He said that when the jail superintendent visited him recently, he complained about the issue. Mr. Khalid said he was allowed to step out of his cell for 10 minutes, but was put back inside his cell once the official left. Mr. Khalid said he has not been allowed to step out since then.
Official summoned
Taking note of the issue, Judge Rawat directed Tihar jail superintendent to be present before the court on Friday to hear the matter. The judge also pulled up the jail staff for muting the microphone of Mr. Khalid when the case was going on.
Mr. Khalid said that the official told him his microphone will be unmuted if the judge gave the permission for it.
The judge said if an undertrial wants to say something, then unmute and let him speak or the jail staff should tell us that he wants to say something. The judge also said that Mr. Khalid should not be punished for putting forward his grievances.
During the hearing, special public prosecutor moved an application for extending Mr. Khalid’s judicial custody by 30 days.
Earlier this week, a local court had ordered the Delhi police to supply to Mr. Khalid a copy of the FIR, remand application and remand order of the case related to the communal violence in which he was arrested. The court noted that it was a settled proposition of law that no person shall be detained in custody without being informed of the grounds for such arrest.