AGENCIES / NEW DELHI
Former JNU student leader Umar Khalid told Delhi Court that he was not being allowed to step out of his cell and no one is allowed to talk to him.
“This is like solitary confinement”, he tells the Court when he was virtually produced before it. He said it is taking a toll on his mental & physical health.
Khalid was arrested under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with north-east Delhi riots in February
Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat directed Tihar Jail Superintendent to be present before the court on Friday to hear the matter.
Khalid made his submissions directly to the court through video conferencing when he was produced before it on expiry of his judicial custody in the case.
The court also pulled up the Assistant Jail Superintendent of Tihar prisons for not unmuting the microphone when Khalid told him that he wanted to speak to the judge.
Khalid said the official told him the microphone will be unmuted if the judge gave the permission for it.
If an undertrial wants to say something, then unmute and let him speak or you tell us that he wants to say something, the judge told the jail official.
Khalid alleged that he was alone in his cell and not allowed to step out of his cell or talk to anyone.
I have not been allowed to step outside at all. I am alone in my cell. No one is allowed to meet me. It is practically sort of a solitary confinement. I am not well for the last three days. I am feeling discomfort. This is like a punishment. Why am I given this punishment? I reiterate that I need security but it cannot be that I have to be in my cell all day, he claimed.
He further said that on Wednesday he was shown an order passed by Additional Superintendent Pradeep Sharma of Jail number 2, in which it was stated that Khalid should not be allowed out of his cell for 24 hours a day.
When his counsel, advocate Trideep Pais, told the court that no adverse steps should be taken against him by the jail authorities for putting forward his grievances, the judge said, Khalid should not be punished for putting forward his grievances. You should take care of it.