The Supreme Court on Monday denied bail to student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots, citing strong evidence of a criminal conspiracy. The court highlighted that the prosecution had presented sufficient material to establish a prima facie case against them. However, five other accused, including Gulfisha Fatima and Meeran Haider, were granted bail, reflecting a distinction in roles and involvement.
#WATCH | Delhi: Sarim Javed, lawyer for Gulfisha, says, “We are happy that five people got bail today. They will be coming out of jail after 5.5 years. Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam have been given the liberty to apply for bail after one year. The police and trial have been… pic.twitter.com/k3G9LcDmqM
— ANI (@ANI) January 5, 2026
Why Court Denied Bail
A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria said Khalid and Imam were allegedly more deeply involved than the other accused. The Delhi Police argued that the violence was pre-planned and not spontaneous. The case is registered under UAPA and IPC provisions. The 2020 northeast Delhi riots left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.
