Delhi riots case: Umar Khalid questions evidence, says Delhi Police used video tweeted by BJP leader Amit Malviya to register FIR

Appearing for Khalid, Senior Advocate Trideep Pais said that the Delhi police had nothing except Republic TV and News18 footage. (Photo: Umar Khalid/Facebook)

A Delhi court that was hearing the bail plea of riot-accused Umar Khalid was informed that the Delhi Police used video footage shared by a BJP leader Amit Malviya to register an FIR against him. The submission was made by Khalid’s lawyer at a hearing in a Delhi riots-related case where Khalid has been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for conspiracy. The court said that the hearing will continue on September 3 and 6.

Appearing for Khalid, Senior Advocate Trideep Pais said that the Delhi police had nothing except Republic TV and News18 footage. Pais said that Delhi Police FIR quotes a video on YouTube by Republic World allegedly recorded in Amravati, Maharashtra. The news channels had informed Pais that they did not originally record the video and got it from Amit Malviya’s Twitter handle. Pais said that the channel did not have the raw footage and the journalist did not have a responsibility to go there and attend the event. “This is the death of journalism,” said Pais.

During the last hearing, the Delhi Police had opposed the bail application of Umar Khalid. The police had said that it would demonstrate a ‘prima facie’ case against him.

The case pertains to North East Delhi riots. Communal clashes had taken place between those supporting and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act on February 23 and February 26 last year. At least 53 people were killed while a hundred others were injured in the riots.

Umar Khalid was arrested under the UAPA in September 2020 in a case which Delhi Police claimed to be a larger conspiracy behind the violence claiming that it was aimed at defaming the Modi government. The police had filed a charge sheet against Khalid on November 22. The police claimed in its FIR against Khalid that he had delivered two speeches that played a crucial role in instigating the protestors.