“Jail Is My Life Now”: Umar Khalid Reacts as Supreme Court Denies Him Bail
The Supreme Court refused bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots case, while granting relief to five other accused.
New Delhi: Activist Umar Khalid has said that prison has become his reality, but he feels relieved and happy that several other accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case have been granted bail by the Supreme Court.
On Monday, the Supreme Court declined to grant bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, stating that there is a prima facie case against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). At the same time, the court granted bail to five other accused — Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad.
Following the court’s decision, Khalid spoke to his partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, who later shared their conversation on social media platform X. According to her post, Khalid said he was “really happy” and “relieved” that others had received bail, even though he had not. When Lahiri said she would come to meet him the next day, Khalid reportedly replied, “Yes, come. This is my life now.”
The case is linked to the communal violence that broke out in northeast Delhi in February 2020, which claimed 53 lives and left over 700 people injured.
Sharjeel Imam was first arrested in January 2020 for alleged inflammatory speeches made during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). He was later arrested in August 2020 in connection with the larger conspiracy case. Umar Khalid was arrested on September 13, 2020.
All seven accused were charged under the UAPA and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The police have alleged that they were key conspirators behind the riots.
Under Section 16 of the UAPA, anyone convicted of committing a terrorist act that results in death may face life imprisonment or the death penalty, along with a fine.
