2020 Delhi riots: Umar Khalid's lawyer says his client was not present at 'conspiratorial' meeting

New Delhi, Oct 8 (PTI) The counsel for former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid told a court here on Wednesday that his client was not present in an alleged meeting, which was the basis of the larger conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots.

The lawyer made the arguments while opposing the framing of charges against Khalid before Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai.

"I was not present in the main meeting where I supposedly conspired," said senior advocate Trideep Pais, underlining that the call details records (CDRs) corroborate the claim.

Earlier, a protected witness had alleged that Khalid and other accused persons had hatched the conspiracy at the meeting.

The lawyer claimed that no recoveries were made from Khalid, nor was there any allegation against him for raising or receiving funds for the alleged larger conspiracy.

Last month, Khalid's lawyer had said his client had spent five years in custody in the "joke of an FIR", which did not have the "sanctity of law".

The arguments will continue on Thursday.

Khalid was arrested in the case on September 13, 2020.

Twenty people, including activists Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi and former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain, have been booked for their alleged involvement in the larger conspiracy to incite the riots.

The case is being investigated by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police. PTI MNR RC