Umar Khalid has spent more than five years in prison. His trial has not yet meaningfully begun.He was arrested in September 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, India’s harshest anti-terror law, accused of conspiring to incite the communal violence that swept parts of Delhi in February 2020. The riots left 53 people dead, most of them Muslims, and occurred amid widespread protests against a controversial citizenship law.The evidence against him includes speeches delivered at peaceful protests, WhatsApp group chats, and facial recognition matches that allegedly placed him, or someone resembling him, at various locations.On January 5, 2026, India’s Supreme Court denied Khalid bail, ruling that he played a “central and formative role” in the alleged conspiracy. Five other accused in the same case were granted bail after years in jail without trial. Khalid and fellow activist Sharjeel Imam were told they could reapply after one year.One more year. After five already served.“We can be kept in jail for years, without those framing us needing to prove anything,” Khalid wrote from Tihar Jail after completing two years of detention. “This is the power of UAPA.”The 2% ProblemThe technology that helped identify Khalid and hundreds of others has a documented accuracy… Read MoreStartupTalky- Business News, Insights and Stories
