Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale dismiss activist's petition

Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam will remain in custody following a significant decision by the Supreme Court on Monday. The bench, comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale, officially denied Umar Khalid bail in connection with the 2020 Delhi communal riots. This verdict follows a period of deliberation after the court reserved its order on December 10 last year.

Khalid, a former JNU student and activist, has been behind bars since 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The prosecution alleges he was a key figure in a criminal conspiracy that led to the violence in North East Delhi, which tragically claimed 53 lives and left hundreds injured.

During the legal battle, senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Khalid, raised several questions regarding the evidence. Sibal pointed out that out of 751 FIRs filed regarding the riots, Khalid was named in only one. He emphasized that Khalid was not even present in Delhi when the violence erupted and that no weapons or incriminating materials were recovered from him. "If I am not there, how can I be connected?" Sibal had argued before the bench during the hearings.

However, the Supreme Court's decision aligns with the earlier stance of the Delhi High Court. That court had previously observed that Khalid and Sharjeel Imam were among the first to react after the Citizenship Amendment Bill passed in 2019. The High Court's findings suggested they acted as "intellectual architects" of the unrest, using WhatsApp groups and pamphlets to organize protests and "Chakka-Jaams" that disrupted essential supplies in Muslim-populated areas.

While the defense argued that their actions did not fall under the more severe chapters of the UAPA, the judiciary has maintained that a detailed analysis of evidence is not the primary focus during a bail hearing. This latest development marks another major chapter in the long-running legal saga surrounding the 2020 riots, a case that continues to draw intense national interest from Delhi to Odisha.