Supreme Court to Hear Bail Pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam in 2020 Delhi Riots Case
New Delhi, Sep 11: The Supreme Court will soon take up the bail pleas of key accused in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and two others hope for relief as their petitions challenge a recent Delhi High Court decision.
On Friday, a bench led by Chief Justice B.R. Gavai and Justice K. Vinod Chandran will hear Meeran Haider’s special leave petition. The next day, September 12, Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria will review the bail applications from Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and Gulfisha Fatima. All four face charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other serious laws.
The Delhi High Court rejected their bail pleas on September 2. In its order, a bench of Justices Shalinder Kaur and Navin Chawla found enough evidence to link Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid to masterminding the conspiracy behind the riots. The court pointed to their inflammatory speeches on February 24, 2020—right during then-US President Donald Trump’s visit to India. Prosecutors claim these speeches aimed to spark violence on February 23-24 and grab global headlines.
"The speeches by Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, when looked at together, clearly point to their role in the plot," the High Court noted. For Meeran Haider, the court highlighted her alleged funding of the Alumni Association of Jamia Millia Islamia (AAJMI), where meetings of the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC) took place. Even though the investigation against her wrapped up, the court said it doesn’t change things enough for bail—especially with witnesses still to be examined and the case’s serious nature.
Prosecutors also accused Gulfisha Fatima of using secret code words to guide protesters and receiving money to push the conspiracy forward.
These events tie back to the deadly February 2020 Delhi riots, which erupted amid protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). The violence claimed 53 lives and injured over 700 people, leaving a lasting scar on the city.
As the Supreme Court dives into these 2020 Delhi riots cases, many eyes are on how it balances bail rights with the gravity of UAPA charges. Stay tuned for updates on this high-profile hearing.
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