(Kiran News | New Delhi) : The Delhi High Court has rejected the bail applications of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and seven other accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. The decision was delivered by a bench headed by Justice Navin Chawla. The court had reserved its order on the bail pleas on July 9.
Along with Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, the court also dismissed bail applications filed by Athar Khan, Abdul Khalid Saifi, Mohammad Salim Khan, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shadab Ahmed.
During the hearings, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing Delhi Police, argued that those involved in conspiracies against the nation are best kept in jail. He emphasized that this was not an ordinary crime but a case of a planned conspiracy to incite riots. He further stated that the accused wanted to see the impact of their actions across the country.
In defence, Umar Khalid’s counsel, Tridip Pais, argued that simply being a member of a WhatsApp group is not evidence of participating in a crime. He stated that Umar Khalid was part of three groups but had rarely sent any messages. Pais further said that being in a group does not imply wrongdoing, and Khalid only shared protest locations upon request.
Similarly, the lawyer representing Meeran Haider argued that Haider neither attended any meetings nor participated in group chats where plans for violence were discussed. The lawyer noted that Haider was a youth leader and a student at Jamia University who only participated in protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, not in any conspiracy. No weapons were recovered from him.
Previously, Delhi Police had opposed the bail pleas, stating that delays in trial should not be grounds for granting bail. Additional Solicitor General Chetan Sharma, representing the police, said that delays were not caused by the prosecution but by the accused themselves. He added that the process of framing charges is underway in the trial court, and delays in arguments are on the part of the accused. Sharma further noted that although a speedy trial is important, the length of jail time in anti-national cases should not be used as a reason for bail.
It is noteworthy that the Delhi riots of February 2020 resulted in at least 53 deaths and left many injured.
Bhupendra Singh Chundawat is a seasoned technology journalist with over 22 years of experience in the media industry. He specializes in covering the global technology landscape, with a deep focus on manufacturing trends and the geopolitical impact on tech companies. Currently serving as the Editor at Udaipur Kiran, his insights are shaped by decades of hands-on reporting and editorial leadership in the fast-evolving world of technology.
