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A Delhi Court today deferred passing order on the bail plea of Umar Khalid, accused in north east Delhi violence larger conspiracy case registered under anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and other provisions of the Indian Penal Code to March 23.

Previously, the order was deferred to March 21 after giving the state time to file a note in response to Khalid's written submissions. 

The accused submitted today that though the state undertook to file a 2-page note by March 16, it had filed a 24-page note, which too was only filed in the morning today. Objecting to this, it said that the state is shifting stances on oral and written submissions.

However, the prosecution replied that it has only clarified unclear portions in the chargesheet. It also objected to the accused saying that the state is shifting its stance and said that their submissions are merely a clarification giving the sequence of events.

The Court agreed that there is "nothing serious in the written submissions," however, they could have been "shorter".

SPP Amit Prasad explained that at the time of the first written submissions, the supplementary chargesheet had not come. Therefore, he said that he is filing the present written submissions after considering the supplementary chargesheet filed.

The counsel for the accused further objected to certain witnesses mentioned in the written submissions, on the ground that they were not named by the prosecution at all.

Prasad replied stating that this didn't mean that other witnesses do not exist.

The Court deferred orders to 4 pm on March 23 for Khalid's matter and to March 25 on Shifa Ur Rehman's bail plea after hearing the parties.

Earlier Adv. Trideep Pais for the accused, Umar Khalid, had concluded his arguments on the bail plea.

On September 13, 2020 Khalid was arrested in connection with communal clashes that broke out in northeast Delhi in February 2020, after violence between Citizenship (Amendment) Act supporters and its protesters became out of control, leaving many people dead and several injured.

Khalid was granted bail in April in another case but has been in Tihar Jail over conspiracy charges under UAPA. 

Besides Khalid, several others including Khalid Saifi Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Safoora Zargar,  Asif Iqbal Tanha and former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain were also been booked under the UAPA.

Cause Title: Umar Khalid vs State

Reported by: Lawbeat News Network