Delhi High Court Rejects Bail Pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and 7 Others in Riots Case

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday refused bail to former JNU students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam along with seven others in the larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 North-East Delhi riots. The case has been filed under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The nine accused who had sought bail are Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed, Abdul Khalid Saifi, and Gulfisha Fatima. Their main argument was that they have already spent years in jail without charges being formally framed, and the delay in trial amounts to prolonged incarceration.

A Bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur dismissed all the appeals, stating, “All appeals are dismissed.” On the same day, another Bench also rejected the bail plea of co-accused Tasleem Ahmed.

Umar Khalid has been in jail since his arrest in September 2020 on charges of criminal conspiracy, rioting, and unlawful assembly under UAPA. His earlier bail pleas were rejected by the trial court in March 2022 and later by the High Court in October 2022. He had also moved the Supreme Court, which after several adjournments, saw him withdraw his plea in February 2024 citing a change in circumstances. In May 2024, the trial court again denied him bail, leading to this appeal before the High Court.

Senior Advocate Trideep Pais, appearing for Khalid, argued that WhatsApp chats cited by the police do not prove his involvement in any conspiracy. He emphasised that Khalid barely posted messages in the groups and that his speeches followed Gandhian values.

However, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Delhi Police, opposed the bail, arguing that Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and others were allegedly part of a conspiracy to divide the nation along religious lines. He said their coordinated actions and communications pointed towards anti-national activities, making them undeserving of bail.