Today, On 22nd September, The Supreme Court has issued notice on the bail pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and other accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. The hearing is scheduled to take place on October 7.
The Supreme Court heard the bail pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, and Meeran Haider, accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.
The case involves allegations that the accused organized protests, delivered inflammatory speeches, and mobilized groups that allegedly led to the violence in Delhi in 2020.
The matter heard by a Bench comprising Justice Arvind Kumar and Justice N.V. Anjaria.
As the hearing was about to begin, the Court observed,
“Sorry we could not take it up on Friday.”
During the proceedings, Senior Advocate Manu Singhvi requested,
“Shocking that a student has to be behind bars for 5 years. Kindly issue notice on the interim bail.“
Senior Advocate Kapil Sibal added,
“Please keep it before Diwali so they can be out by then.”
Following the submissions, the Court issued notice in all matters (Item 56, 56.1, 57, and 58).
The Court has approved scheduling the matter for hearing on October 7.
Earlier, On 19th September, The Supreme Court adjourned the hearing of bail pleas filed by Delhi riots accused
When the matter was presented before Justices Aravind Kumar and Manmohan, the briefing counsel representing Kapil Sibal informed the bench that Sibal was leading the arguments in the case.
Notably, Sibal does not appear before Justice Manmohan, who began his legal career as a junior in Sibal’s chamber. Shortly after this, the court adjourned the hearing to September 22.
The adjournment follows a week after the Justice Kumar-led bench postponed the hearing earlier, on September 12, stating that the extensive case records had arrived at their residences past midnight and could not be reviewed in time.
The accused, who have already spent more than five years in custody, have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Senior advocate Abhishek Manu Singhvi is representing Imam, while senior advocate Kapil Sibal is advocating for Khalid. Both petitions contend that their lengthy detentions Imam since January 2020 and Khalid since September 2020 constitute punishment without trial.
They emphasize that the trial is still ongoing, with numerous supplementary charge sheets and many witnesses yet to be called.
Earlier, On 12th September also The Supreme Court adjourned bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and Gulfisha Fatima in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.
Earlier, The Delhi High Court had earlier rejected their bail applications. The High Court observed that there was a strong prima facie case against the accused, referred to the stringent bail restrictions under UAPA, and highlighted potential risks to public order if bail was granted.
The Court clearly stated,
“Prolonged incarceration alone cannot justify bail, especially given multiple chargesheets and extensive evidence still pending trial.”
According to the allegations, Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa Ur Rehman and Meeran Haider were involved in orchestrating protests, delivering inflammatory speeches and mobilising crowds, which, as per the prosecution, triggered the large-scale violence in Delhi in 2020.
These riots, which erupted in February 2020, were triggered by conflicts over the proposed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). According to the Delhi Police, the violence resulted in 53 deaths and numerous injuries.
The case involves allegations that the accused orchestrated a broader conspiracy aimed at inciting multiple riots. A FIR was lodged by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police, citing various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the UAPA.
Many of the accused face charges in multiple FIRs, leading to several bail petitions being filed in different courts. Most have remained in custody since 2020.
The four activists have approached the top court challenging the Delhi High Court’s September 2 order which had refused bail to nine people, including Khalid and Imam.
The nine people whose bail was denied by the high court were Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi and Shadab Ahmed.
In a separate order on the same day, another bench of the high court also rejected the bail plea of accused Tasleem Ahmed.
The riots, which erupted in the backdrop of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), claimed 53 lives and left more than 700 people injured.
All the accused, however, have consistently denied the allegations made against them. They have been in jail since 2020.
Their bail pleas were first dismissed by the trial court, following which they approached the Delhi High Court. After being denied relief there too, they have now moved the Supreme Court seeking bail.
Case Title: Umar Khalid v. State of NCT Delhi
Click Here to Read Previous Reports on Delhi riots case