Umar Khalid amplified false narrative via actors, politicians' social media posts: Delhi Police

Umar Khalid, a former JNU student, used social media to amplify a false narrative in his favor and was in contact with some actors, the Delhi Police informed a court on April 9, concluding its arguments against Khalid's bail request in the 2020 Delhi riots case. Umar Khalid is one of the accused individuals implicated in the alleged broader conspiracy related to the 2020 northeast Delhi communal riots. He has been charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The arguments opposing Khalid's bail request were presented on Tuesday in front of Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai.

According to Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad, Khalid's mobile phone data revealed he was in contact with various individuals, including some actors, politicians, activists, and other celebrities. Khalid allegedly forwarded links from specific news portals to these contacts, urging them to share the content on their social media platforms to promote a specific narrative and amplify its reach.


Referring to his conversations with actors and others who have significant social media followings, Prasad said that Khalid actively promoted his narrative as part of a larger conspiracy.

The Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) also played a video clip in court featuring an interview with Khalid's father conducted by a news portal. The SPP stated that Khalid's father expressed lack of trust in the Supreme Court during the interview.

"They don't have faith in the Supreme Court, and, therefore they came to the trial court. This is how they are creating a narrative (in his favour)," he said.

The Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) mentioned that Khalid had urged members of a WhatsApp group to organize protests following a specific court proceeding.

He also rejected the contention of Khalid seeking parity with other co-accused, who have been granted bail.

The matter has been posted for Wednesday for rebuttal by Khalid's counsel.

Khalid and several others have been booked under the anti-terror law UAPA and several provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the February 2020 riots, which left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

The violence had erupted during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

(with PTI inputs)