The Supreme Court received a bail plea from former JNU student Umar Khalid in the larger conspiracy case under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) related to the 2020 North East Delhi riots. The plea follows the Delhi High Court’s September 2 order rejecting bail for Khalid and eight co-accused. The High Court noted that the allegations involved a coordinated effort to incite communal violence, stressing the seriousness of the charges.
The North East Delhi riots erupted in February 2020 over protests related to the proposed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), resulting in 53 deaths and hundreds of injuries. Khalid was arrested in September 2020 and charged with criminal conspiracy, rioting, unlawful assembly, and other offences under the IPC and UAPA. Many accused faced multiple FIRs and have remained in custody since 2020.
This marks Khalid’s second attempt to secure bail. His first petition was rejected by the trial court in March 2022 and by the Delhi High Court in October 2022. He then approached the Top Court, which sought the police’s response and adjourned the matter several times. Khalid withdrew a prior Supreme Court plea in February 2024 citing changed circumstances. A second bail petition was dismissed by the trial court in May 2024 and subsequently denied by the High Court in September.
Khalid’s counsel argued that his prolonged detention for over five years without conviction violated his liberty. The petitioner submitted that delays in the trial should not justify continued incarceration and requested relief through bail.
The Delhi High Court observed that Khalid had delivered speeches in Amravati during US President Donald Trump’s visit, which could not be ignored. The Court highlighted the role of co-accused Sharjeel Imam, noting his “inflammatory speeches on communal lines to instigate mass mobilization of members of the Muslim Community.”
On the trial delay, the Court emphasized the extensive investigation undertaken by the police, including a 3,000-page chargesheet and 30,000 pages of electronic evidence. It held that the complexity of the case meant that “the pace of the trial will progress naturally” and that a hurried trial could be detrimental to both the accused and the State.
The Delhi High Court dismissed Umar Khalid’s bail petition, leading him to approach the Apex Court for relief. The matter is now pending before the top court, which will consider the plea in light of the ongoing, detailed trial proceedings.
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