The Delhi High Court has dismissed the appeals of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam against the refusal of bail in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, holding that it cannot modify the conditions the Supreme Court imposed on them in Gulfisha Fatima.
A Delhi court has granted Sharjeel Imam interim bail from October 4 to 10 to attend his cousin’s wedding, in the 2020 North-East Delhi riots larger-conspiracy case under the UAPA. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Courts passed the order. Imam’s regular bail plea, along with that of Umar Khalid, is listed before the Delhi High Court on September 30. The allegations in the case are untested.
Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan has strongly criticised the Supreme Court’s decision denying bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, calling it unfair and unjust. He said keeping them jailed for five years without trial based on protected witness statements makes a mockery of the right to life and liberty.
The Delhi High Court observed that a rushed trial in the Delhi Riots conspiracy case would harm both the accused and the State while denying bail to Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, and others booked under UAPA. The Court noted their alleged “inflammatory speeches” and upheld the gravity of their roles in the conspiracy.
Sharjeel Imam, accused in the February 2020 Delhi riots, claims he was “completely disconnected” from co-accused Umar Khalid and the events of violence. His counsel seeks compassionate bail after five years in custody, arguing no evidence links Imam to inciting unrest, while emphasizing his significant personal challenges during imprisonment.