Delhi High Court rejects bail for Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam

The Delhi High Court has rejected the bail applications of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the 2020 North-East Delhi riots conspiracy case. A division bench comprising Justice Pratibha M. Singh and Justice Dinesh Bhatt stated that the court cannot deviate from the previous directions issued by the Supreme Court.

The Supreme Court had previously set specific conditions for seeking bail, noting that applications could be reconsidered once protected witnesses have testified or after one year has passed from the previous order, whichever occurs first. The prosecution, represented by the Delhi Police, has characterized the two individuals as the ‘masterminds’ and ‘command authority’ behind the orchestrated violence.

While the defense argued for bail based on changing circumstances and judicial precedents in other cases, the High Court upheld the trial court's decision to deny regular bail. The case involves charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other relevant sections regarding the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 riots.