A Delhi court has pulled up senior Delhi Police officers for taking a decision to move applications to produce former JNU student Umar Khalid and United Against Hate founder Khalid Saifi in handcuffs in connection with a Delhi riots case.
Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Yadav has directed the DCP (Special Cell), DCP third battalion and Crime Branch police station to submit reports to communicate reasons why such applications were moved before this court.
Two applications, both filed by Incharge, Lock-Up, Karkardooma District Courts, Delhi, seeking to produce Khalid and Saifi in “handcuffs in both hands from back side”, as they are “high-risk prisoners” were filed before the court.
The court was told that these applications are “claimed to have been filed after a decision was taken in the matter by so called senior police officer(s) of Delhi Police to move such applications before this Court”.
The Special Public Prosecutor was asked by the court about the meaning of “high-risk prisoner” and where the same has been defined; whether in the jail manual or Punjab Police Rules or the circular(s) issued by Delhi Police.
The Special PP submitted that he “was not aware of the instant applications and as such, he could not take instructions in the matter”.
The court noted that both the accused had been granted bail in connection with the Khajuri Khas riots and that the main conspiracy case related to a UAPA investigation was not before this court.
“It is presumed that the bail order(s) of applicants (passed in case FIR No.101/2020, PS Khajuri Khas) are in the knowledge of senior police officer(s) of Delhi Police. The instant applications are completely bereft of the reason(s), prompting the senior police officer(s) to take a decision to move such application(s). For want of material/reason(s) in respect of the applications in question, this Court is at a loss to consider the grant of prayer(s) in these applications,” the court said.
Khalid was arrested in a case related to the riots that took place in Khajuri Khas in February 2020. A sessions court on April 15 had granted him bail. However, he is yet to be granted bail in the UAPA case related to the Delhi riots.
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