Supreme Court Postpones Bail Hearing for Activists in 2020 Delhi Riots Case
The hearing on bail applications of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and others accused in the February 2020 Delhi riots case has been rescheduled to October 31.
New Delhi — The Supreme Court on Monday pushed back the hearing on bail applications filed by activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, and Meeran Haider. All four are accused in a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) related to the February 2020 riots in Delhi.
A two-judge bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice N V Anjaria decided to adjourn the matter after Additional Solicitor General S V Raju requested more time to prepare the government’s response.
Raju initially asked for two weeks, but the court agreed to reschedule the hearing for Friday, October 31. The bench made it clear that in bail matters, there should be no delay in filing responses.
“Frankly speaking, in bail matters there is no question of filing counter,” the judges observed.
The Supreme Court had earlier issued a notice to the Delhi Police on September 22, asking them to respond to the bail pleas.
Background of the Case
The activists approached the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court rejected their bail applications on September 2. The high court denied bail to nine individuals, stating that violent conspiracies disguised as peaceful protests cannot be permitted.
Apart from Khalid and Imam, the others who were denied bail include Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Abdul Khalid Saifi, and Shadab Ahmed. Another accused, Tasleem Ahmed, also had his bail plea rejected by a different bench on the same day.
In its order, the Delhi High Court acknowledged that citizens have the constitutional right to protest peacefully. However, it emphasized that this right is not unlimited and must remain within legal boundaries.
“If the exercise of an unfettered right to protest were permitted, it would damage the constitutional framework and impinge upon the law and order situation in the country,” the high court stated in its bail rejection order.
What Are the Charges?
The accused have been charged under UAPA and various sections of the Indian Penal Code. Police claim they were the “masterminds” behind the February 2020 riots in Delhi, which resulted in 53 deaths and left more than 700 people injured.
The violence broke out during widespread protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC).
All the accused have denied the allegations. They have been in custody since 2020 and moved to the high court after trial courts rejected their bail requests.
The Supreme Court will now hear their case on October 31.
