The Supreme Court of India on Monday (5 January 2025) refused to grant bail to former student leaders Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. After this decision came to light, discussion about the news started in the media of neighboring country Pakistan also. This issue has been prominently published by Pakistani newspaper The Dawn. He wrote, ‘The Supreme Court said in its order that staying in jail for a long time cannot in itself be a basis for bail. Umar Khalid has been in jail for more than five years and is accused of conspiring in the 2020 Delhi riots.

Umar Khalid, 38, was arrested in September 2020 under UAPA (stringent anti-terrorism law). Since his arrest, he has been under continuous detention, although he was allowed to attend family weddings for some time.

The matter is related to Delhi riots

This case is related to the Delhi communal riots of February 2020, in which 53 people died. Police allege that Umar Khalid gave inflammatory speeches before the riots and was involved in the conspiracy of violence. Many serious sections have been imposed on Umar Khalid. The Supreme Court also refused to grant bail to student leader Sharjeel Imam in the same case. However, the court has granted bail to 5 other accused in the same case.

Displeasure of human rights organizations

The case of Omar Khalid has also been a matter of concern for international human rights organizations. Seven organizations, including Amnesty International, had issued a statement in support of him in September and demanded his release. Amnesty had said that the long imprisonment of Omar Khalid raises serious questions on the justice system in India and it is against international human rights principles.

Also associated with CAA protests

Umar Khalid’s arrest came a few months after major protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). This law, brought in 2019, facilitates granting citizenship to non-Muslim minorities of three neighboring countries, but keeps Muslims out of it. In 2022, Umar Khalid wrote an open letter from jail, in which he said that we can be kept in jail for years without proving that we have committed any crime.

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The Supreme Court has refused to release 2020 Delhi riots accused Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam on bail. Umar and Sharjeel had sought bail citing that they had been in custody for more than 5 years, but the court refused it, citing their role as central in the case. However, the court has granted bail to the remaining five accused who filed the petition along with these two.

5 people got relief
Those who have got bail from the Supreme Court are Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohammad Salim and Shadab Ahmed. These people had also argued that they had been in jail for more than 5 years. The bench of Justices Arvind Kumar and NV Anjaria has considered their role in the riots to be lesser than that of Sharjeel and Omar. On this basis he has been given concession.

The conditions of UAPA were taken care of
Apart from laws like IPC Arms Act, sections of UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prohibition Act) have also been imposed on all these accused. Section 43D(5) of UAPA imposes stringent conditions for bail. Under this, the accused has to prove that the allegations against him are prima facie false. All the accused had sought bail on the basis of Article 21 of the Constitution (Right to Life and Liberty). The court released 5 people without trial on the grounds that they had been in jail for a long time. But in the case of Umar and Sharjeel, Section 43D(5) of UAPA was applied.

‘Ask for bail after 1 year’
The Supreme Court has asked Delhi Police to conduct the case expeditiously in the lower court. The court has also said that after the examination of the main witnesses of the case, Sharjeel and Umar Khalid can file a bail application. If there is a delay in this, then after one year of this order both can demand bail from the trial court.

What is the matter?
In February 2020, 53 people were killed and hundreds were injured in clashes over anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests. It is alleged that these accused had conspired to instigate riots. Delhi Police has registered an FIR against them under sections of the IPC like rioting, illegal assembly, criminal conspiracy, and also under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Multiple FIRs are registered against most of the accused. Delhi Police has also argued that the attempt of the accused was to affect the integrity of the nation by spreading violence across the country.

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Delhi Riots: No bail to Sharjeez Imam, Umar Khalid, Supreme Court said- ‘Right to life is in the Constitution, but…’

Delhi riots accused Meeran Haider said on Monday (November 3, 2025) that the Citizenship Amendment Act of 2020 (CAA) Sharjeel Imam should not have been allowed to go to the protest sites during the protest movement. He said that even at that time he had specifically raised objection regarding this. Meeran Haider gave this argument for bail. He said that he was not involved in any conspiracy of the riots because he himself was objecting to the presence of Sharjeel Imam, so how could he be a part of any conspiracy.

According to Bar and Bench report, Meeran Haider said that accusing him of Sharjeel Involved in the conspiracy of riots with the Imam is wrong. Delhi riots in the year 2020 in the Supreme Court the accused Sharjeel Imam, Omar Khalid, Meeran Haider and Gulfisha fatima The hearing on the bail petitions has been going on since last week. justice Arvind Kumar and justice NV Anjariya to the bench of Meeran Haider’s Advocate Siddharth agarwal Said that his client himself visited the protest sites Sharjeel If questions were raised on the presence of the Imam, then how can he be accused of being involved in a conspiracy.

He said, ,Allegation that I (Haider) Sharjeel Was involved in a conspiracy with the Imam. I have a Tweet did that to this man, whose name Sharjeel Imam is, should not be allowed to go to the protest sites. Where these riots took place cctv footage I am also not visible anywhere., petitioner Counsel for also said that the prosecution Chandbagh of secret Even in the photo shared of the meeting, Haider is not there.

Meeran Appeared on behalf of the prosecution on these arguments of Haider solicitor General Tushar Mehta Said that the person present in the picture is not visible properly. Meeran Haider’s lawyer also said that charge sheet me too Chandbagh His client’s name is not known regarding the meeting. only age in it Khalid And Sharjeel The name of the Imam is.

in the year 2020 CAA There were demonstrations in different parts of the country against this. During this time violence broke out in Delhi. Sharjeel Imam, Omar Khalid, Meeran Haider and Gulfisha fatima But there have been allegations of conspiring to riot. Delhi Police has told the Supreme Court in its affidavit that these riots did not happen suddenly, but it was a well-planned conspiracy. Police say that these riots were used for change of power at the Centre. planning Was done.

The Supreme Court has issued a notice on the bail petition of 5 accused of 2020 Delhi riots. All of them have challenged the order of the Delhi High Court, which came on 2 September, in which he was refused to give bail. The Supreme Court has asked for a hearing on 27 October, seeking a reply from the Delhi Police on his petition.

The accused whose petition was issued by the bench of Justices Arvind Kumar and NV Anjaria is Omar Khalid, Sharjil Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Miran Haider and Shifa ur Rehman. These people say that he has been in jail for almost 5 years.

Citizenship Amendment Act in February 2020 (Caa) 53 people were killed and hundreds were injured in the clashes over the opposing demonstrations. It is alleged that these accused had conspired to incite the riots. Delhi Police has rioted on these, in addition to sections of IPC like riot, illegal gathering, criminal conspiracy, illegal activities (prevention) law (UAPA) FIR has been registered in the sections of Most of the accused have many FIRs registered.

Senior lawyers Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi debated on behalf of the petitioners. Singhvi said that most of these people are students. It is very sad that he has been closed for 5 years. Sibal said that the court should listen to the case soon. The petitioners get a chance to come out before Diwali.

Keep in mind that the Division Bench of Delhi High Court refused to release a total of 9 accused on bail, including Umar Khalid and Sharjil Imam. In a detailed order of its 133 pages, the High Court had said that violence cannot be allowed by plotting in the name of demonstrations or dharna. The role of Sharjil Imam and Omar Khalid seems particularly serious. Both gave inflammatory speeches on communal grounds. Their purpose was to mobilize the people of the Muslim community on a large scale.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday (September 2) gave a big blow to student activists Sharjil Imam, Omar Khalid and other accused in the case related to Delhi riots. The court dismissed the bail plea of ​​all the accused in the UAPA case related to Delhi riots in 2020.

A bench of Justice Naveen Chawla and Justice Shalinder Kaur reserved their verdict on 9 July after hearing the arguments of all the parties. Shaizil Imam and Omar Khalid along with Mohammad Salim Khan, Shifa ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Miran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi and Gulfisha Fatima reserved their verdict. The court dismissed everyone’s petition.

When was the arrest?

What is the allegation?

According to the news agency PTI, the prosecution strongly argued that it is not only a case of riots, but is a case where the riots were already made with a horrific motive and thought conspiracy.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta argued that it was a conspiracy to discredit India globally and could not be the basis of only long imprisoned bail.

In the riots in February 2020, 53 people died and more than 700 people were injured. The violence erupted during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Civil Register (NRC).

The bail petitions of the Sharjil Imam, Khalid Saifi, Gulfisha Fatima and other accused were pending in the High Court since 2022 and from time to time various benches heard them.

Sharjeel imam latest news: The accused in a case of riots in Delhi in February 2020, Shaziil Imam argued in the High Court on Thursday that he had no ‘relationship with the place, time and co-accused, including Omar Khalid. Imam’s lawyer urged the bench of Justice Naveen Chawla and Justice Shalinder Kaur to show ‘compassion’ while deciding on his bail plea.

The lawyer said that there was never any unrest in his speeches and conversations on WhatsApp. Imam’s lawyer said, ‘This boy has spent more than five consecutive years in custody. He (family) is the only one to earn. His old mother is ill and is not her father.

Imam did not participate in any ‘conspirator’ meeting- lawyer

The lawyer reiterated that he was not in the capital after 15 January 2020 and was arrested by the police on January 28, 2020 in a separate case from his hometown in Bihar. He argued that because of this the Imam did not participate in any ‘conspirator’ meeting with others.

The case of conspiracy of the prosecution is based on the messages exchanged among the accused. Imam’s lawyer refused to negotiate with him, saying that he was not in the alleged main WhatsApp group, where the flywheel jam was discussed. The lawyer said that there was no such message in the WhatsApp group which the Imam was part of the ‘going to incite violence from far away’.

The lawyer said, “Not a single message was shown to know that one community was raised against another community. A proof of violence, 40 evidence of non -violence demolish the prosecution case.” The lawyer argued that a witness alleged that he ‘belongs to Omar Khalid and some other accused’, but the Imam had no such relationship.

There was no violence after his speeches- a lawyer

The Imam’s lawyer said that his client is already under trial in matters related to treason and disgusting speech, in which he has got bail. He said that judicial decisions have found that there was no violence after his speeches. In the context of the police case, which stated that he raised the site of Shaheen Bagh demonstration, the lawyer argued that the Imam had separated himself from the site on January 2, 2020, that some mischievous elements could include there.

The lawyer says that the matter should not be ‘mixed’ with the violence in Jamia Millia Islamia in December 2019. Omar Khalid, Imam and many others have been booked under the provisions of the illegal activities (prevention) Act (UAPA) and Indian Penal Code for the alleged ‘mastermind’ of the February 2020 riots. In these riots, 53 people were killed and more than 700 were injured. The matter will not be heard on 21 May.