New Delhi: The Supreme Court will hear the Delhi Police’s arguments on the bail pleas of student leaders Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima and others accused in the 2020 North East Delhi riots case. The hearing comes as the police press their claim of a coordinated plot linked to the anti-CAA movement.
A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N. V. Anjaria will examine the police submissions. The accused remain in custody under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, a law widely criticised by human rights groups for its harsh bail conditions.
The Delhi Police filed a detailed counter affidavit before the court. The document alleges that Umar Khalid played a central role in planning the protests. It says he mentored Sharjeel Imam and shaped networks of students and activists. The affidavit links their activities to chats, witness statements and call records from December 2019 onward.
The police submission calls the protests a planned effort linked to the timing of former US President Donald Trump’s 2020 visit to India. It claims the accused aimed to draw global attention to the Citizenship Amendment Act, presenting it as an attack on Muslims. The affidavit says the issue was used as a “radicalising catalyst” presented publicly as peaceful mobilisation.
The police describe Sharjeel Imam as a “top conspirator” under the guidance of Umar Khalid, alleging he shaped the first phase of the agitation in December 2019.
The Delhi High Court had earlier rejected bail for the accused in the larger conspiracy case. The Supreme Court hearing is expected to determine whether the prosecution’s claims are strong enough to keep the activists in custody under UAPA.
