Jaipur, January 18: Former Chief Justice of India, D.Y. Chandrachud, has stated that bail before conviction should be considered a matter of right. However, he emphasized that it is the court's responsibility to thoroughly assess cases involving national security before granting such relief.

Chandrachud's comments came during a session at the ongoing Jaipur Literature Festival, in response to a question from senior journalist Vir Sanghvi.

Sanghvi had raised concerns about the Supreme Court's recent decision to deny bail to activist Umar Khalid in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.

Khalid, along with fellow activist Sharjeel Imam, has been in custody since 2020. On January 5, the Supreme Court denied bail to both, stating they were involved in the "planning, mobilisation, and strategic direction" of the northeast Delhi riots.