The Delhi High Court has denied bail to JNU’s former student Umar Khalid, activist Sharjeel Imam, and several others in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. The division bench of Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Shailender Kaur dismissed the bail petitions of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Mohammad Saleem Khan, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi, and Gulfisha Fatima.
During the hearing, defense lawyers argued that the accused were innocent. However, the court observed that at this stage, bail could not be granted. The defense has announced its intention to challenge the decision before the Supreme Court.
The case stems from the large-scale violence that erupted in February 2020 in Delhi. The Delhi Police alleged that Khalid and Imam were among the masterminds of the conspiracy and booked them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
