Why Umar Khalid is still behind bars despite Supreme Court debate
Activist Umar Khalid has spent nearly five years in jail without trial under the UAPA, and the Delhi High Court just denied him bail again.
This decision stands out because former Chief Justice DY Chandrachud recently said, "If an expeditious trial is not possible under present conditions, then bail should be the rule and not the exception."
Still, the High Court denied him bail, noting that he is accused of conspiring in the Delhi riots.
What's going on with Khalid's case?
Khalid has tried for bail several times—first denied by the Delhi High Court (date/year not specified in source), then his plea sat unheard at the Supreme Court for months before being withdrawn (date not specified in source), and then denied again by the Delhi High Court (date/year not specified in source).
The difference between what top judges say publicly and how courts actually rule has sparked fresh questions about fairness and pre-trial detention laws under UAPA.