Overview
- MEA spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said public representatives should respect the independence of other democracies’ courts and focus on their official duties.
- Zohran Mamdani’s handwritten message to Umar Khalid, passed to the activist’s parents in December, was photographed and shared on January 1, the day Mamdani took office.
- In the note, Mamdani referenced Khalid’s reflections on resisting bitterness and conveyed that many were thinking of him.
- On January 5, India’s Supreme Court denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case under the UAPA, while granting bail to five other accused.
- Earlier, BJP leaders accused Mamdani of interference, and a December 30 letter from eight U.S. lawmakers led by James P. McGovern raised concerns about prolonged pre-trial detention in the Delhi cases.