New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday rejected the bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who are accused in the larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.
A Division Bench comprising Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Dinesh Bhatt said it could not grant relief in view of the Supreme Court’s earlier order of January 5, which laid down the circumstances under which the two accused could seek bail.
The Supreme Court had said that Khalid and Imam could approach the court for bail after either the examination of protected witnesses was completed or one year had passed from the date of its order, whichever occurred earlier.
The latest decision marks another setback for the two accused, who have been in custody in the case for several years. Their latest pleas were filed after the trial court rejected their bail applications on July 4.
Khalid and Imam are facing charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the larger conspiracy case arising from the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots. The violence left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured.
The prosecution has alleged that the two were among the key conspirators behind the violence. Delhi Police has opposed their bail pleas, describing them as alleged masterminds of the larger conspiracy. These remain prosecution allegations, and the charges have not been finally established in a trial.
The case was investigated by the Delhi Police Special Cell. Activist Khalid Saifi, former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain and several others have also been accused in the case.
Sharjeel Imam was arrested on August 25, 2020, while Umar Khalid was arrested on September 13, 2020.
On January 5, the Supreme Court had refused bail to Khalid and Imam while granting relief to several other accused, including Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohammad Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad.
The Supreme Court had observed that there was a prima facie case against Khalid and Imam under the UAPA while considering their bail pleas. It also referred the broader issue of prolonged incarceration of undertrial prisoners facing stringent UAPA bail conditions to a larger bench.
The Delhi High Court’s latest order means that Khalid and Imam will continue to remain in custody in the case, subject to any further legal proceedings or orders from the Supreme Court.
The trial in the larger conspiracy case is still pending, and the allegations against the accused remain to be adjudicated.
