Delhi Riots: Prosecution Argues Umar Khalid Used Media Network, Celebrities to Incite Unrest

New Delhi, April 9th: In a dramatic turn of events at the Karkardooma Court today, the prosecution in the Umar Khalid bail hearing presented a series of arguments painting a picture of a calculated attempt to influence public opinion and potentially incite unrest.

Central to their argument was the alleged use of media contacts and social media by Khalid. The prosecution detailed WhatsApp conversations where Khalid allegedly shared reports from outlets like The Wire and The Quint with celebrities and activists, urging them to share the content further. Names like Jignesh Mevani, Yogendra Yadav, Pooja Bhatt, Sushant Singh, and Swara Bhaskar were mentioned in connection with these exchanges. Additionally, a group chat named “Hum Bharat Ke Log” was cited, where Khalid allegedly advocated for protests and specific hashtags to trend on social media.

The prosecution further alleged that Khalid attempted to influence media narratives by sharing articles critical of specific figures and requesting their amplification. This included an instance where Khalid reportedly asked Sanjukta to promote a report critical of Kapil Mishra. Notably, the prosecution also highlighted an instance where Khalid declined to be quoted by Alt News, potentially suggesting a desire to control the messaging.

Beyond social media, the prosecution pointed to an interview of Khalid’s father with The Wire’s Arfa Sherwani, claiming it was part of a deliberate strategy to portray himself as a victim of a biased judiciary. They also raised questions about why the defence hadn’t disclosed Khalid’s father’s alleged links to a banned organization (SIMI) earlier.

The defence, however, has not yet had the opportunity to respond to these allegations. The hearing is scheduled to continue tomorrow at 3 PM.

This development adds a sensational layer to the already high-profile case. It remains to be seen how the court weighs the prosecution’s claims against the defence arguments when delivering its verdict.