US lawmakers urge India to grant bail, fair trial to Umar Khalid
New Delhi/Washington: A group of lawmakers from the United States has written to India’s Ambassador to the US, Vinay Kwatra, urging that activist and former Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid be granted bail and a fair, timely trial in accordance with international law.
The letter was signed by eight US Representatives, including Jim McGovern and Jamie Raskin. In the communication, the lawmakers expressed concern over what they described as the prolonged pre-trial detention of individuals charged in connection with the February 2020 violence in Delhi, specifically referring to Khalid.
McGovern said he met Khalid’s parents in December and noted that Khalid has been in jail for more than five years without trial. Khalid and several others have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, along with provisions of the Indian Penal Code, for allegedly being part of a larger conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots, in which 53 people were killed and over 700 injured.
“The US and India share a long-standing strategic partnership that has historically been rooted in democratic values, constitutional governance and strong people-to-people ties,” the lawmakers wrote. They added that as the world’s largest democracies, both countries have a shared interest in protecting freedom, the rule of law, human rights and pluralism.
The lawmakers said they were raising the issue in this spirit, pointing out that several human rights organisations, legal experts and international media outlets have questioned the fairness of the investigation and legal process in Khalid’s case. They noted that Khalid has been denied bail for five years under the UAPA, which, they said, independent human rights experts have warned could contravene international standards related to due process, proportionality and equality before the law.
The US Representatives said they were aware that the matter is currently before the Supreme Court of India and welcomed the recent order granting Khalid temporary bail to attend his sister’s wedding. They urged that he be released on bail for the duration of the court proceedings.
“With respect for India’s democratic institutions and its role as a key partner of the United States, we request that your government share the steps being taken to ensure that the judicial proceedings against Khalid and his co-accused who remain in detention meet international standards,” the letter said.
Earlier this month, I met with the parents of Umar Khalid, who has been jailed in India for over 5 years without trial. @RepRaskin & I are leading our colleagues to urge that he be granted bail & a fair, timely trial in accordance with international law. pic.twitter.com/tBIbG1aOwc
— Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) December 30, 2025
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Red Fort blast: NIA conducts searches in south Kashmir
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Srinagar (PTI): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Friday carried out searches in Jammu and Kashmir's Shopian and Pulwama districts as part of its probe into the November 10 blast near the Red Fort in Delhi, officials said.
They said the NIA sleuths, assisted by police and CRPF, brought along one of the accused, Yasir Ahmad Dar, to the searches. Ahmad was arrested in connection with the "white collar" terror module.
The officials said the searches were going on in the Padpawan area of Shopian and the Pampore locality of Pulwama, both in south Kashmir.
The searches were carried out at the instance of Dar, the ninth accused in the case, who had told the investigators about some hideouts in these areas, the officials said, adding that further details were awaited.
