The Delhi High Court has dismissed the bail applications of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in relation to the 2020 Delhi riots case. The ruling was delivered on Tuesday. In addition to this, the court also refused to grant bail to Tasleem Ahmed, who has been arrested under UAPA in connection to the same case. The bench consisting of Justices Subramaniam Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar presided over the matter.
The court had previously reserved its decision on the bail pleas on July 10th. During the proceedings, the Delhi Police had opposed the granting of bail.
Furthermore, the court reserved its judgment on the bail applications of several other individuals: Mohammad Salim Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi, and Gulfisha Fatima. The prosecution strongly opposed the bail applications, arguing that the case was not merely about the riots themselves but concerned a premeditated conspiracy designed with a dangerous intent.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the prosecution, argued that the riots were part of a global plot to discredit India and that the length of imprisonment should not be the sole basis for bail. He contended that anyone acting against the nation should remain incarcerated until acquitted.
Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and other defendants stand accused under UAPA and various sections of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly masterminding the February 2020 riots. These riots claimed the lives of 53 people and injured over 700. The violence unfolded during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The bail applications of Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi, Gulfisha Fatima, and others have been under consideration in the High Court since 2022, with various benches reviewing them over the period.