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Umar Khalid Says Years in Tihar Have Stripped His ‘Humanity’ as Bail Fight Reopens

The Guardian interview draws attention to his mental strain and raises pressure on courts to reconsider bail rules after a May Supreme Court note on UAPA custody.

Overview

  • Khalid gave his first interview since 2020 in a piece published June 30 that describes nearly six years in Tihar Jail as eroding his mental health and sense of self.
  • He has been held since his September 2020 arrest under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and still has no trial date in the larger Delhi riots conspiracy case.
  • Fresh bail applications have been filed and a Karkardooma court has listed arguments for July 4, with his lawyers citing recent higher court comments as changed circumstances.
  • A Supreme Court bench on May 18 expressed reservations about earlier reasoning on UAPA bail and noted that prolonged pre‑trial custody can affect the strict bail bar in Section 43D(5).
  • The case has split political and public opinion, with rights groups calling the detention an example of UAPA use against activists, Congress MP Shashi Tharoor calling it a 'travesty of justice', and the BJP defending the independence of judicial proceedings.