Justice Amit Sharma of the Delhi High Court on Monday recused himself from hearing the bail plea filed by former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) scholar Umar Khalid in the Delhi riots conspiracy case.
The case was scheduled to be heard before the Division Bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Amit Sharma.
Justice Sharma had previously recused himself from hearing the bail petitions of Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, and other accused in the Delhi riots case.
Khalid was arrested in September 2020 and charged with criminal conspiracy, rioting, unlawful assembly, and several other offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). He has been in jail since his arrest.
This is the second time Khalid has sought bail.
The trial court initially denied him bail in March 2022. He then appealed to the High Court, which also denied him relief in October 2022, leading him to file an appeal before the Supreme Court.
In May 2023, the Supreme Court sought a response from the Delhi Police on the matter. His plea before the Supreme Court was adjourned 14 times.
On February 14, 2024, Khalid withdrew his bail plea from the Supreme Court, citing a change in circumstances.
A Supreme Court bench of Justices Bela M. Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal was set to hear the matter on February 14 when Khalid’s counsel, Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal, informed the Court of the withdrawal of the bail plea.
“We wish to withdraw due to a change of circumstances and move the trial court for appropriate relief,” Sibal had said.
On May 28, the trial court rejected his second bail petition.
