News reports still paint me guilty: Former JNU student Umar Khalid

NEW DELHI: Former Jawaharlal Nehru University student Umar Khalid on Wednesday informed a Delhi court that despite bringing to its notice about the “media trial”, news reports continued to paint him guilty.
Appearing from jail via videoconferencing, Khalid informed chief metropolitan magistrate Dinesh Kumar that excerpts from the alleged disclosure statement had been reported, despite the fact that there was “refused to sign” written below the alleged statement attributed to him in the chargesheet.
Khalid, through his counsels, has moved an application where he has alleged “media trial” by way of leaking of a supplementary chargesheet against him even before the court had taken cognisance.
“The adversarial media reports painting me not only as an accused, but almost guilty, has continued. It is causing me deep distress and clearly affecting my right to fair trial. It is continuing even after you being informed, is a deliberate design to malign me,” Khalid said.
The court, subsequently, said that if Khalid thought there was an agenda or vendetta against him, he could file separate complaints.
Further hearing in the matter would take place on January 19.
Police were earlier directed to file a reply to the plea filed by Khalid, who contended that the media had the copy of the chargesheet against him in a rioting case filed at Khajuri Khas police station even before the court had taken cognisance.