Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam move SC:Both challenge Delhi High Court’s third rejection of bail pleas in 2020 riots case

Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam have separately approached the Supreme Court, challenging the Delhi High Court’s September 30, 2026, decision rejecting their bail pleas in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. The High Court had refused to grant bail to the two activists for the third time. They have now challenged the decision before the Supreme Court. Bail rejected under UAPA in larger conspiracy case On September 30, the Delhi High Court refused to grant bail to Khalid and Imam in a case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) over the alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 north-east Delhi riots. The High Court said it was bound by “judicial discipline” and could not modify the Supreme Court’s January 5 order. The top court had directed the two accused to seek bail either after the examination of protected witnesses was completed or after the expiry of one year, whichever came earlier. Khalid and Imam had challenged a trial court order dated July 4, which rejected their bail applications for the third time since their arrest. The trial court had said it had “no option but to follow” the Supreme Court’s January 5 order and could neither entertain their pleas nor grant them any relief. SC called them ‘ideological drivers’ of conspiracy The High Court noted that while denying bail to the two accused in January, the Supreme Court had observed that their roles were distinct from those of the other co-accused. It had described them as the “ideological drivers” of the alleged conspiracy. Khalid and Imam have been booked under the UAPA on allegations that they were among the masterminds of the February 2020 riots, which left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured. The violence erupted during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). Activist Khalid Saifi and former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain were also booked, along with others, for their alleged involvement in the larger conspiracy. The case is being investigated by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell. Khalid arrested in September 2020, Imam in August Imam was arrested in the case on August 25, 2020, while Khalid was arrested on September 13, 2020. Both have remained in jail since then. On September 2, 2025, a division bench of the Delhi High Court rejected their bail pleas. On January 5, the Supreme Court upheld the High Court’s decision in their cases but granted relief to five other accused: Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohammad Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria had observed that a prima facie case existed against Khalid and Imam under the UAPA. While rejecting their argument about delays in the trial, the Supreme Court said they could file fresh bail applications after the examination of protected witnesses or after one year from the date of its order, whichever came earlier. SC refers prolonged detention of UAPA accused to larger bench On May 22, the Supreme Court granted six months’ interim bail to co-accused Abdul Khalid Saifi and Tasleem Ahmad. The top court also referred to a larger bench the issue of prolonged incarceration of undertrial prisoners booked under the UAPA, particularly in view of the stringent conditions imposed on granting bail under the law.