By Salonee Kulkarni
Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, along with other accused individuals involved in a larger conspiracy connected to the Delhi riots, were denied bail. The Delhi Court rejected the bail petitions on Tuesday.
Gulfisha Fatima, Khalid Saifi, Athar Khan, Mohd Saleem, Shifa ur Rehman, Meeran Haider, and Shadaab Ahmed submitted bail petitions but were turned down.
The case was filed on 23 February 2025. Violence erupted in Northeast Delhi. After the proposal of the CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act), the region witnessed communal violence, which left fifty-three people dead and wounded hundreds.
The lower court had denied bail to the accused. The accused had to approach the High Court. The argument stated that more than four years had been spent in custody. The accused asserted that granting bail was their constitutional right on the grounds of parity with their co-accused. The co-accused were granted bail in 2021. Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, and Asif Iqbal Tanha were the individuals charged alongside others and were released on bail.
Bail applications filed by the accused have remained unresolved since 2022. The delay in the trial should be the primary factor considered when deciding whether to grant them relief.
The bail was opposed by Amit Prasad and Tushar Mehta, representing the Delhi police. They allegedly affirmed that the protests were not spontaneous but rather well planned. It was a conspiracy to divide the country on religious grounds and tarnish India’s image globally, they further added, allegedly. Tushar Mehta reportedly added that the pre-planned activities were coordinated on WhatsApp groups. “Those indulging in anti-national activities are not entitled to bail,” his argument stated.
“Delhi HC denies bail to Umar Khalid & 6 others after 5 years of incarceration, where nothing has even moved in the case. Grossest travesty of justice. We have to fight in SC now.” TMC MP Mahua Moitra expressed her dismay on X.
Umar Khalid’s lawyer, Senior Advocate Trideep Pais, argued that bail had been denied to the accused repeatedly, despite evidence citing a single WhatsApp message regarding the protest location. Further adding, he stated that Umar Khalid’s presence was minimal in the WhatsApp group. No allegations or fundraising activities had been cited in Umar Khalid’s past criminal records. His speeches focused on Gandhian principles.
Image Caption: Bail denied to student activist Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid in connection with the Delhi riots, citing a conspiracy case. Seven other accused were denied bail too.