New Delhi, September 2– The Delhi High Court on Tuesday rejected bail pleas of former Jawaharlal Nehru University students Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and seven others accused in the larger conspiracy case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) linked to the 2020 north-east Delhi riots. According to details received by The Chenab Times, the accused include Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed, Abdul Khalid Saifi, and Gulfisha Fatima.
A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur dismissed all appeals, stating, “All appeals are dismissed.” The accused sought bail citing prolonged incarceration due to delays in framing charges by the trial court. Separately, another bench of the High Court dismissed the bail plea of Tasleem Ahmed in the same case earlier on Tuesday.
Umar Khalid, arrested in September 2020, faces charges of criminal conspiracy, rioting, unlawful assembly, and other offenses under UAPA. This marks his second bail rejection by the High Court, following a denial in October 2022. Khalid previously withdrew a bail plea from the Supreme Court in February 2024, citing changed circumstances, after 14 adjournments, as reported by Bar and Bench.
Senior Advocate Trideep Pais, representing Khalid, argued that his client’s involvement in WhatsApp groups was minimal, stating, “Merely being on a group is not an indication of anything wrong. I only shared the location of a protest site when asked.” Pais emphasized that Khalid’s speeches were rooted in Gandhian principles and lacked allegations of violence or fundraising.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Delhi Police, opposed the bail pleas, alleging that Khalid, Imam, and others were “preparing to divide the nation on religious lines” and acting in concert through WhatsApp groups, according to Bar and Bench. Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid appeared for Shifa Ur Rehman, while Senior Advocate Rebecca John represented Abdul Khalid Saifi.
Ahmad Ibrahim, Sharjeel Imam’s lawyer said that they plan to appeal the High Court’s decision in the Supreme Court.
The Chenab Times News Desk