New Delhi— The Delhi High Court on Wednesday reserved its verdict on the bail pleas filed by former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leaders Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, along with other co-accused, in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, reported the Hindustan Times.
A division bench comprising Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur reserved the order after hearing extensive arguments from both the prosecution and the defence.
The case pertains to the February 2020 communal violence in Northeast Delhi that claimed 53 lives and left over 700 injured. The accused are charged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), with the police alleging a pre-planned conspiracy behind the riots, which coincided with the anti-CAA protests.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the prosecution, opposed the bail pleas, asserting that the violence was not spontaneous but a well-orchestrated plan with a “sinister motive” to tarnish India’s global image. “If you do anything against your nation, you better be in jail till you are acquitted,” Mehta said during the hearing.
On the other hand, Sharjeel Imam’s legal team contended that he was not connected with the other co-accused, including Umar Khalid, and that his speeches and communication did not incite any violence. The defence argued that prolonged incarceration without trial and the principle of parity—since some other accused have already been granted bail—were valid grounds for release.
The bail pleas have been pending since 2022 and have been heard by multiple benches. The Delhi Police maintains that the speeches by the accused—including references to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC), the Babri Masjid demolition, triple talaq, and Kashmir—were part of a deliberate and provocative pattern.
The prosecution also argued that in a case of such “grave” allegations, the general principle of “bail is the rule, jail is the exception” does not apply, and there has been no delay on their part in the trial process.
Sharjeel Imam was arrested on August 25, 2020, while Umar Khalid has been in custody since 2020. Other accused, including Khalid Saifi and Gulfisha Fatima, have also sought bail on similar grounds.
The High Court is expected to announce its decision in the coming weeks.
