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‘Disheartening, but will not give up’: Umar Khalid’s father on SC denying him bail

The top court Monday denied bail to Umar Khalid, the former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader, in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case.

4 min readUpdated: Jan 5, 2026 10:32 PM IST

Umar Khalid’s father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, stepped out of his home without the box of sweets he had expected to carry. “Everybody was asking me... arey, mithai ka dabba kyu nahi leke aaye

Umar Khalid’s father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas said 'everybody was asking me... arey, mithai ka dabba kyu nahi leke aaye'. (File Photo, AP)

The family of Umar Khalid expressed disappointment at the Supreme Court’s refusal to grant him bail on Monday in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case.

Umar’s father Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas said they had felt confident he would get bail.

Umar’s partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, said, “This is how it has been for the past five years… We apply for bail in every court and hope it goes through, but it doesn’t. It is exhausting.” However, “We are happy that at least a few of them have got some relief,” she said.

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The top court denied bail to Umar, the former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader, in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case.

The court granted conditional bail to five other accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case — Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohammad Salim Khan and Shadab Ahmad. But Umar and Sharjeel Imam, who too was denied bail, stood on a “higher footing in the hierarchy of participation” in the alleged conspiracy, the court said.

Umar’s father, who was inside the courtroom when the order was delivered, said he left without speaking to anyone. “All I did was walk straight out of the courtroom and come straight home,” he told The Indian Express. “After our Advocate Kapil Sibal’s strong arguments, we were hopeful. It is very surprising why Umar has not been granted bail…”

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Umar’s mother, Sabiha Khanum, said: “Pyaar mohabbat ki baatein karne wale ko bail nahi mil rahi hai (a man who spoke of love and harmony is not getting bail).”

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Umar, along with 17 others, is facing allegations of indulging in a “larger conspiracy” to cause the riots in Northeast Delhi between February 23, 2020 and February 25, 2020, which left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. Booked for offences under the Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, he has been described as a “veteran of sedition” by the Delhi Police Special Cell in its chargesheet.

In its order, the SC said it was required to examine what was attributed to each accused, how those allegations fit within the ingredients of the law, and whether continued detention served a legitimate purpose recognised by law. The allegations against Umar placed him at a different level from the others granted bail “both in prosecution narrative and in evidentiary basis relied upon”, it said.

The apex court also observed that if the trial does not progress meaningfully, Umar could apply for bail again after a year.

Previously, Umar had argued that the whole case against him was “fabricated” and “reverse engineered”. During a hearing in October last year, he had argued that of the 751 FIRs registered in connection with the February 2020 riots, he had been named in only one.

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Ilyas, meanwhile, recalled when Umar was out on interim bail last month to attend a family wedding. “This time when Umar came home, even he was hopeful that he would be getting bail,” he said. “Unfortunately, it did not happen.”

“It is disheartening,” Ilyas added. “But we will not stop fighting. We have no other option but to not give up.”

Lahiri posted a brief exchange with Umar on X. “‘I am really happy for the others, who got bail! So relieved,’ Umar said. ‘I’ll come tomorrow for mulaqat,’ I replied. ‘Good, good. Aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai [Come, this is my life now],’” she wrote, recalling what Umar said.

Vidheesha Kuntamalla

Vidheesha Kuntamalla is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express, based in New Delhi. She is known for her investigative reporting on higher education policy, international student immigration, and academic freedom on university campuses. Her work consistently connects policy decisions with lived realities, foregrounding how administrative actions, political pressure, and global shifts affect students, faculty, and institutions. Professional Profile Core Beat: Vidheesha covers education in Delhi and nationally, reporting on major public institutions including the University of Delhi (DU), Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Jamia Millia Islamia, the IITs, and the IIMs. She also reports extensively on private and government schools in the National Capital Region. Prior to joining The Indian Express, she worked as a freelance journalist in Telangana and Andhra Pradesh for over a year, covering politics, rural issues, women-centric issues, and social justice. Specialisation: She has developed a strong niche in reporting on the Indian student diaspora, particularly the challenges faced by Indian students and H-1B holders in the United States. Her work examines how geopolitical shifts, immigration policy changes, and campus politics impact global education mobility. She has also reported widely on: * Mental health crises and student suicides at IITs * Policy responses to campus mental health * Academic freedom and institutional clampdowns at JNU, South Asian University (SAU), and Delhi University * Curriculum and syllabus changes under the National Education Policy Her recent reporting has included deeply reported human stories on policy changes during the Trump administration and their consequences for Indian students and researchers in the US. Reporting Style Vidheesha is recognised for a human-centric approach to policy reporting, combining investigative depth with intimate storytelling. Her work often highlights the anxieties of students and faculty navigating bureaucratic uncertainty, legal precarity, and institutional pressure. She regularly works with court records, internal documents, official data, and disciplinary frameworks to expose structural challenges to academic freedom. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2024 & 2025) 1. Express Investigation Series JNU’s fault lines move from campus to court: University fights students and faculty (November 2025) An Indian Express investigation found that since 2011, JNU has appeared in over 600 cases before the Delhi High Court, filed by the administration, faculty, staff, students, and contractual workers across the tenures of three Vice-Chancellors. JNU’s legal wars with students and faculty pile up under 3 V-Cs | Rs 30-lakh fines chill campus dissent (November 2025) The report traced how steep monetary penalties — now codified in the Chief Proctor’s Office Manual — are reshaping dissent and disciplinary action on campus. 2. International Education & Immigration ‘Free for a day. Then came ICE’: Acquitted after 43 years, Indian-origin man faces deportation — to a country he has never known (October 2025) H-1B $100,000 entry fee explained: Who pays, who’s exempt, and what’s still unclear? (September 2025) Khammam to Dallas, Jhansi to Seattle — audacious journeys in pursuit of the American dream after H-1B visa fee hike (September 2025) What a proposed 15% cap on foreign admissions in the US could mean for Indian students (October 2025) Anxiety on campus after Trump says visas of pro-Palestinian protesters will be cancelled (January 2025) ‘I couldn’t believe it’: F-1 status of some Indian students restored after US reverses abrupt visa terminations (April 2025) 3. Academic Freedom & Policy Exclusive: South Asian University fires professor for ‘inciting students’ during stipend protests (September 2025) Exclusive: Ministry seeks explanation from JNU V-C for skipping Centre’s meet, views absence ‘seriously’ (July 2025) SAU rows after Noam Chomsky mentions PM Modi, Lankan scholar resigns, PhD student exits SAU A series of five stories examining shrinking academic freedom at South Asian University after global scholar Noam Chomsky referenced Prime Minister Narendra Modi during an academic interaction, triggering administrative unease and renewed debate over political speech, surveillance, and institutional autonomy on Indian campuses. 4. Mental Health on Campuses In post-pandemic years, counselling rooms at IITs are busier than ever; IIT-wise data shows why (August 2025) Campus suicides: IIT-Delhi panel flags toxic competition, caste bias, burnout (April 2025) 5. Delhi Schools These Delhi government school grads are now success stories. Here’s what worked — and what didn’t (February 2025) ‘Ma’am… may I share something?’ Growing up online and alone, why Delhi’s teens are reaching out (December 2025) ... Read More

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