New Delhi, September 14: The Delhi Police Special Cell arrested Umar Khalid, former Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Umar Khalid under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). UAPA is an Indian law aimed at effective prevention of unlawful activities associations in India.  According to an Indian Express report, Khalid was summoned on Saturday and asked to join the investigation on Sunday at the Special Cell office in Lodhi Colony.

What is UAPA?

The main objective of UAPA was to make powers available for dealing with activities directed against the integrity and sovereignty of India. Last year, the controversial Bill which sought to allow an individual suspected to have terror links to be designated as a 'terrorist' was passed by Lok Sabha amid objections by the Opposition which said the amended law could be misused. However, the UAPA Bill was passed in Rajya Sabha as well with 147 Member of Parliaments voted in favour, and only 42 polled against it. Delhi Riots: Sitaram Yechury, Yogendra Yadav, Umar Khalid's Names in Chargesheet.

In the wake of increasing terrorist activities in the country; the NDA government changed certain provisions of UAPA 1967 to tackle terrorism and Naxalism in the country in 2019.

According to a PTI report, Umar Khalid was earlier charged under UAPA in another case related to the riots. His mobile phone was seized by the police.  Delhi violence took place from February 23 to 26 - after weeks of protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens, which had leftover 50 dead and hundreds injured.

Umar Khalid's arrest comes amid a political row over CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury and Swaraj Abhiyan chief Yogendra Yadav being named in a disclosure statement of an accused in the Delhi riots.

 

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 14, 2020 10:44 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).