The Supreme Court on Wednesday rejected the bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case, drawing sharp reactions from AIMIM chief and Hyderabad MP Asaduddin Owaisi.
Responding to the ruling, Owaisi questioned the contrast in judicial outcomes in other cases. “If you look at today’s newspaper, the Supreme Court granted bail to the former chairman of Amtek Group, who had been in jail for 16 months. Kailash Ramchandani, who was charged in the IED blast case, was granted bail. However, Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid were denied bail by the Supreme Court,” he said.
Owaisi Questions Bail Denial
In an interview with news agency ANI, Owaisi said the court’s decision was “surprising and shocking”.
“It is surprising and shocking that these two people, Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, have not been granted bail,” he said.
The remarks came on the same day the Supreme Court granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa ur Rehman, Mohammad Salim Khan and Shadab Ahmed in the Delhi riots case, subject to 12 conditions.
Supreme Court’s Observations
A bench comprising Justices Arvind Kumar and N V Anjaria ruled that Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam would not be entitled to seek bail in the case for one year. The court clarified that if the trial does not progress and witness testimonies are not completed within that period, the accused may move a fresh bail application before the lower court.
The apex court had reserved its verdict on December 10 after hearing arguments from both the accused and the Delhi Police.
Interim Bail For Family Event
Earlier, the Karkardooma Court had granted Umar Khalid interim bail from December 16 to December 29 to attend his sister’s wedding. The interim release was subject to strict conditions, including a ban on social media use, restrictions on contacting witnesses, and permission to meet only family members, relatives and close friends. Khalid was directed to surrender by the evening of December 29.
Allegations In The 2020 Riots Case
Umar Khalid was arrested by the Delhi Police in September 2020 in connection with the February 2020 riots in northeast Delhi. He has been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for allegedly conspiring to incite large-scale violence.
Sharjeel Imam and several others have also been named as accused in the same conspiracy case. The riots left several people dead and more than 700 injured.
