Fresh Bail Pleas Filed by Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid in Delhi Riots Conspiracy Case
Court seeks response from Delhi Police as both accused cite prolonged incarceration and lack of progress in trial proceedings.
New Delhi: Student activist Sharjeel Imam and former JNU scholar Umar Khalid have filed fresh bail applications in a Delhi court in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots.
In their applications, the two accused argued that despite the Supreme Court rejecting their earlier bail pleas around six months ago, there has been little meaningful progress in the trial. They contended that they continue to remain behind bars for an extended period without the case moving forward at a reasonable pace.
The applications were placed before Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai, who issued notices to the Delhi Police and sought its response. The court has scheduled the next hearing in the matter for July 4.
Sharjeel Imam, in his plea, stated that he has been in custody for nearly six years and that a significant portion of his life has been spent in jail without the charges against him being proven in court. He further argued that even after the Supreme Court declined bail earlier this year, the prosecution had not shown sufficient urgency in advancing the trial.
In January, a Supreme Court bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice N. V. Anjaria had refused bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the conspiracy case related to the February 2020 riots. However, the court granted bail to five other accused in the same case.
At the time, the bench observed that a prima facie case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) existed against Khalid and Imam. At the same time, the court noted that the roles attributed to all accused persons were not identical, leading to relief for some of the co accused.
Those granted bail included Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rahman, Mohammad Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad.
Delhi Police has charged Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and several other activists and intellectuals under the UAPA and various provisions of the Indian Penal Code. Investigators have alleged that they were part of a larger conspiracy behind the violence that erupted in Northeast Delhi in February 2020.
The riots had taken place during nationwide protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC). The violence claimed 53 lives and left more than 700 people injured.
The case has continued to draw attention from legal experts, civil rights groups and political observers. Several rights organizations have expressed concern over the prolonged detention of accused persons under anti terrorism laws before the completion of trial proceedings, while authorities maintain that the charges involve serious allegations requiring thorough judicial examination.
With Delhi Police expected to submit its response before the next hearing, attention will now turn to whether the court considers the length of custody and the pace of the trial while deciding the fresh bail requests.