Delhi, Sept. 30: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday rejected the bail pleas of student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case.
A Division Bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Dinesh Bhatt dismissed their appeals against the Karkardooma Court’s orders denying regular bail.
The High Court said it was bound by the Supreme Court’s January 5, 2026, order refusing bail to both accused. It held that the conditions for renewing their bail pleas had not been met.
Delhi HC Cites Supreme Court Order in Bail Decision
Khalid and Imam approached the High Court after the trial court rejected their fresh bail applications in July 2026.
The Supreme Court had allowed them to renew their bail pleas after the examination of protected prosecution witnesses or after one year from its January 5 order, whichever came earlier.
However, the accused argued that circumstances had changed since the Supreme Court’s decision. They cited the subsequent reference to a larger Bench on whether prolonged incarceration and trial delays could justify bail under Section 43D(5) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The Delhi Police opposed their pleas, arguing that the larger Bench reference did not alter the Supreme Court’s earlier directions. It also maintained that there had been no substantial change in circumstances.
In its submissions, the prosecution described Khalid and Imam as alleged masterminds of the larger conspiracy. It argued that the Supreme Court had distinguished their alleged roles from those of certain co-accused.
Earlier, the Supreme Court denied bail to Khalid and Imam, citing prima facie grounds for applying the statutory restrictions under the UAPA. However, it granted bail to five co-accused: Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed.
More recently, the Supreme Court granted six months of interim bail to co-accused Tasleem Ahmed and Khalid Saifi. It also referred the question of prolonged incarceration and trial delays to a larger Bench.
The case concerns the alleged conspiracy behind the communal violence in northeast Delhi in February 2020. Khalid and Imam have remained in custody for several years while the case proceeds.
Now you can get the latest stories from Indtoday on Telegram every day. Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Indtoday’s Facebook page, Twitter, and Instagram. For all the latest Hyderabad News updates and Follow us on GoogleNews
