2020 Delhi riots ‘larger conspiracy’ case: Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam move fresh bail pleas
On January 5, the Supreme Court refused bail to Khalid and Imam in the case while granting relief to co-accused Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohammad Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad.
A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria then observed that there was a prima facie case against Khalid and Imam under the UAPA and held that all accused could not be treated equally in view of the "hierarchy of participation". (File Photos) Citing prolonged incarceration and delay in trials, Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam have moved fresh bail applications before a court in the “larger conspiracy” terror case linked to the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots.
Sharjeel Imam’s bail plea highlighted that despite more than six months since the Supreme Court’s judgment, which denied the two bail, there has been no meaningful progress in the trial proceedings. Currently, the case is at the stage of arguments on charge.
Meanwhile, Khalid’s plea argues that even as his earlier bail plea was rejected by the SC, subsequent judicial developments constituted a “change in circumstances”. He was referring to the court’s remarks in May in another case, asserting that “bail is the rule…” even under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
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