Court rejects Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam's bail in Delhi riots case for 3rd time

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday rejected the third bail plea of student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the case concerning the larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 north-east Delhi riots registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Dinesh Bhatt said it could not modify the Supreme Court’s January 5 order directing the two accused to seek bail either after the examination of protected witnesses is completed or after one year from the date of the order, whichever is earlier.The court said it was “bound by judicial discipline” and could not modify the conditions imposed on Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.Khalid and Imam have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with allegations that they were among the masterminds of the riots, which left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured.The violence broke out amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Activist Khalid Saifi and former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, among others, have also been booked in the alleged larger conspiracy case, which was investigated by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell.Khalid and Imam approached the high court earlier this year after the trial court rejected their bail applications for the third time on July 4. Imam was arrested in the case on August 25, 2020, while Khalid was arrested on September 13, 2020.

The Delhi Police opposed their bail pleas, alleging that the two were the “masterminds” behind the riots.- Ends