Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid alleged before a Delhi court on Monday that a “media trial” was being conducted against him, which was affecting his right to a free and fair trial in a case related to the north east Delhi riots.
The submissions were made before Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Dinesh Kumar and Khalid appeared before court through video conference.
He claimed that a section of the media received the supplementary chargesheet filed in the case before him and his lawyer. He alleged that disclosure statements were being leaked selectively which was affecting his right to a free trial.
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Khalid further said that he had not signed any statements while in custody.
The court has put up the matter for further hearing on January 5.
The supplementary chargesheet was filed against him on December 26 last year in the case. Suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain is also an accused in the case.
Khalid was arrested in October last year. He was also arrested in September, 2020, under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in another case related to a conspiracy in the riots.
Communal violence had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 last year leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.
