WASHINGTON, DC: Eight US Congressmen from the Democratic Party of the United States of America have written a letter to the Indian Ambassador in Washington questioning the detention of Umar Khalid in prison, who is a key accused in the 2020 Delhi riot case that led to the death of 53 people and severely injured hundreds of others. The US Congress representatives have also urged the Indian authorities to immediately grant bail to Umar Khalid. Citing international legal and judicial norms, US lawmakers reiterated the need to grant bail to Umar Khalid and proceed with the court trials without any delay. They also questioned why the accused was kept in jail for years without any judicial proceedings commencing.
The letter from US lawmakers to the Indian Ambassador in Washington was drafted by Jim McGovern and Jamie Raskin. Other signatories in the letter include Chris Van Hollen, Peter Welch, Pramila Jayapal, Jan Schakowsky, Rashida Tlaib and Lloyd Doggett. They exclaim that Umar Khalid has been detained for 5 years without commencing the trials under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act(UAPA). Umar Khalid is a student from the Jawaharlal Nehru University(JNU), New Delhi and is arrested for brewing a larger conspiracy related to the 2020 Delhi riot case and posing a threat to national security.
Earlier this month, I met with the parents of Umar Khalid, who has been jailed in India for over 5 years without trial. @RepRaskin & I are leading our colleagues to urge that he be granted bail & a fair, timely trial in accordance with international law. pic.twitter.com/tBIbG1aOwc
— Rep. Jim McGovern (@RepMcGovern) December 30, 2025
The US lawmakers said that prolonged detentions without the commencement of judicial trials don’t align with international judicial procedures and the due process of law. They also demanded an explanation for not commencing the judicial process, despite it being five years since the arrest. They also raised doubts about the intricacies of the UAPA, India’s anti-terror legislation and apparently expressed concerns about the status of civil liberties in India. This disposition, as expressed by US lawmakers, exposes hypocrisy: they speak about civil liberties in India while the US is directly or indirectly responsible for the erosion of rights and liberties in many regions across the globe. Also, the rights and liberties of the American people are at stake in many regions within the United States that are reeling under protests, security stringents, etc.
The lawmaker Mc Govern has directly met the parents of Umar Khalid in Washington DC. “Earlier this month, I met with the parents of Umar Khalid, who has been jailed in India for over five years without trial”, he wrote in a social media post. The question is why US lawmakers are backing an accused who was responsible for a massive riot that led to the killing of more than 50 people and injured hundreds of others, thus causing a massive security and law & order threat to the country. Also, is the letter not an infringement into the sovereign judicial space of India. Why do the US lawmakers question a case pertaining to the national security issue, which is under the well-defined judicial boundaries of India?
Experts thus opine a strong hidden agenda behind the letter of the US lawmakers to the Indian Ambassador in Washnigton. By releasing a perpatrator of violence from the prison who is apparently a threat to the national security of India, it will be easier for the USA or its hegemonic tool such as the CIA to foment anti-India or anti-establishment activities. By utilising, Umar Khalid as a tool, the USA or its intelligence wing CIA can fulfill its hegemonic ambitions in India by triggering/sponsoring violnce protests and other regime degeneration or destabilisation acts.
On the other hand, the intervention by the US lawmakers comes at a time when the court has given temporary relief to Umar Khalid. The Delhi Court has granted interim bail for Umar Khalid from December 16 to 29, 2025. In return for the interim bail, Umar Khalid has to submit two collaterals and a personal bond worth Rs. 20,000 to the court. The accused is also not allowed to use social media while he is on the interim bail. Several other restrictions have also been imposed on Umar Khalid. He was asked to return to prison on December 29, 2025. Apart from the interim bail, the court has rejected all other applications of Umar Khalid for a regular bail, given the grave security concerns.
