Stories
Delhi High Court Denies Bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam in Riots Conspiracy Case
- •The Delhi High Court denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots.
- •The court stated that the Supreme Court's January 2026 order permitted them to seek bail again only after one year or examination of protected witnesses, neither of which has occurred.
- •Granting bail now would effectively modify the Supreme Court's order, which the High Court cannot do.
- •This marks the third time the Delhi High Court has denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in this case.
- •Their latest pleas cited a subsequent Supreme Court judgment in the Syed Iftikhar Andrabi case, arguing a change in circumstances, which the Delhi Police opposed.
Key Questions Answered
The Delhi High Court denied bail because the conditions set by the Supreme Court in January 2026—allowing them to seek bail only after one year or after the examination of protected witnesses—had not yet been met. Granting bail at this stage would effectively amount to modifying the Supreme Court's order.
In January 2026, the Supreme Court denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam while granting bail to five other co-accused. That order stipulated that the duo could only seek bail again after one year or following the completion of the examination of protected witnesses.
The latest pleas were based on a subsequent Supreme Court judgment in the case of Syed Iftikhar Andrabi, where a different bench questioned aspects of the January judgment. The defence argued that prolonged incarceration and trial delays should be relevant under the UAPA, constituting a change in circumstances.
