New Delhi — The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned to September 22 the hearing of bail pleas filed by activist Sharjeel Imam, former JNU scholar Umar Khalid, and several others in the larger conspiracy case linked to the February 2020 Delhi riots.
The matter was briefly mentioned before a Bench led by Justice Aravind Kumar, who said the petitions would be taken up on Monday. Senior lawyers Kapil Sibal, C.U. Singh, Abhishek Manu Singhvi, and Siddharth Dave appeared for the petitioners.
The accused are appealing against the September 2 Delhi High Court judgment that dismissed their bail pleas. The High Court had termed their alleged roles in the conspiracy “prima facie grave” and accepted the prosecution’s case that the riots were a “premeditated, well-orchestrated conspiracy,” not a spontaneous protest.
Those denied bail include Imam, Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, Khalid Saifi, Athar Khan, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Shifa–ur-Rehman, Meeran Haider, and Shadab Ahmed. Another accused, Tasleem Ahmed, also had his bail plea rejected.
The activists remain in custody under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) since 2020. Their lawyers argue that prolonged incarceration and delays in trial proceedings make bail necessary. Several co-accused, including Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif Iqbal Tanha, and Ishrat Jahan, have already been granted bail.
Civil society groups and families of the jailed activists continue to demand a fair trial, calling their detention a threat to democratic rights. The Supreme Court will now hear the pleas on September 22.
