Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam Denied Bail Again as Delhi HC Rejects Pleas in Riots Case

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday rejected the bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the alleged larger conspiracy case related to the February 2020 North-East Delhi riots case. The bench of Justice Pratibha Singh and Justice Dinesh Bhatt heard the bail petitions filed by both of them for the third time. The court said that it is bound by the order of the Supreme Court dated January 5 and cannot change the position decided in that order at this stage.

Why did the High Court refuse to grant bail?

During the hearing, the High Court said that in January, the Supreme Court had refused to grant immediate bail to both of them and had left the door open for them to seek bail in future. According to this, the application for bail can be made again after the completion of the testimony of the protected witnesses or completion of one year from the date of the Supreme Court order, whichever is earlier. The High Court said that it cannot modify this instruction of the Supreme Court at its own level.

What decision did the Supreme Court give in January?

On January 5, 2026, the Supreme Court had rejected the bail petitions of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. Five other accused were granted conditional bail in the same case. The Supreme Court had considered the bail pleas of the accused on different grounds keeping in mind the difference in their alleged roles. In the case of Khalid and Imam, the court had said that the prosecution material prima facie met the threshold for charges under UAPA.

Did both of them not get the benefit of bail of other accused?

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday said Khalid and Imam cannot claim equality with the accused who were granted bail by the Supreme Court in January. The court also said that despite another bench of the Supreme Court later taking different views on certain aspects related to bail in UAPA, the special orders of the Supreme Court in the Delhi riots case are applicable to the High Court. The matter is pending before a larger bench on the legal question amidst these different decisions.

What happened in the 2020 riots?

In February 2020, there was violence in many areas of Northeast Delhi. 53 people died and more than 700 people were injured in this violence. Police later began investigating an alleged larger conspiracy behind the violence. In this case, charges have been leveled under several sections including UAPA. However, the process of framing of charges has not been completed in the court yet and the testimony in the case has not started.

How long have Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam been in jail?

Umar Khalid was arrested in September 2020, while Sharjeel Imam has been in custody since August 2020. Both have made their long stay in jail and delay in the trial the basis for bail. The Supreme Court had also considered the argument for prolonged detention in its January judgment but had refused to grant immediate bail in the case of both.

What will happen next now?

After Wednesday's decision of the High Court, both of them have not been granted regular bail at present. The court has taken into account the arrangements laid down in the January order of the Supreme Court. The process of framing of charges and initiation of trial in this case is yet to proceed. The High Court also clarified that the observations made at the bail stage do not constitute a final verdict of guilt or innocence in the case.