The Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing on the bail pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and other accused until September 22. These petitions challenge the Delhi High Court's order, which denied bail to the accused involved in the 2020 Delhi riots.
NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing on the petitions of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, and Shifa-ur-Rahman until September 22. These petitions challenged the Delhi High Court's order, which denied them bail in the alleged conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi riots. All of them have been booked under UAPA.
The Delhi High Court had on September 2 denied bail to nine individuals, including Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. The court clarified that a conspiracy of violence in the name of protest or demonstration cannot be permitted. Besides Khalid and Imam, those whose bail pleas were rejected included Mohammed Saleem Khan, Shifa-ur-Rahman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shadab Ahmed.
Delhi High Court's Decision
The Delhi High Court had rejected the bail petitions of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and eight other accused on September 2, 2025. In its order, the High Court stated that the right to protest and demonstrate is protected under the Constitution, but it must only be exercised in a peaceful, restrained, and non-violent manner.
The High Court clarified that if people are granted the right to protest without any limits, it would severely impact the constitutional order and law and order. The court also stated that freedom of speech and peaceful protest are part of fundamental rights, but they can only be permitted within reasonable limits and safety standards.
What is the case?
Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and other accused are alleged to have conspired in the riots that occurred in February 2020. The riots erupted during the anti-CAA-NRC protests, and several instances of violence were reported during this period. All these accused have denied the allegations against them, stating that their protests were peaceful. They have been in jail since 2020 and had sought bail from the High Court after being denied it by the lower court. Those who filed petitions in the Supreme Court include:
- Umar Khalid
- Sharjeel Imam
- Gulfisha Fatima
- Meeran Haider
- Shifa-ur-Rahman
- Mohammed Saleem Khan
- Athar Khan
- Abdul Khalid Saifi
- Shadab Ahmed
- Tasleem Ahmed (bail plea rejected by another bench of the High Court)
The Supreme Court has adjourned the hearing on all these petitions until September 22. In the court's next hearing, a detailed debate will take place on the petitions challenging the Delhi High Court's decision.
