On September 2, 2025, the Delhi High Court dismissed bail applications of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and seven other individuals accused in the 2020 Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case. The verdict was delivered by a division bench of Justices Naveen Chawla and Shalinder Kaur, addressing charges under the Indian Penal Code, 1860, and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967, as per FIR 59/2020 filed by the Delhi Police’s Special Cell. The other accused include Athar Khan, Khalid Saifi, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Shifa ur Rehman, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shadab Ahmed, all of whom challenged trial court orders denying them bail.
During the hearings, Senior Advocate Trideep Pais, representing Umar Khalid (arrested September 13, 2020), argued: “merely being on WhatsApp groups, without sending any message, is no criminality.” He further clarified that no incriminating evidence, such as money, was recovered from Khalid, and the alleged secret meeting on February 23-24, 2020, was a public event, not clandestine as claimed by the prosecution. Senior Advocate Rebecca John, for Khalid Saifi (arrested February 26, 2020), contended: “Can UAPA on the basis of innocuous messages or their (prosecution) attempt to make stories out of such messages, can it become a reason to deny me bail or is it even a ground to prosecute me under UAPA?” John also sought bail for Saifi on grounds of parity with three co-accused—Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, and Asif Iqbal Tanha—granted bail in June 2021.
Advocate Talib Mustafa, representing Sharjeel Imam (arrested January 28, 2020), asserted that Imam was “completely disconnected” from co-accused and not involved in any conspiracy or meetings, with his alleged role limited to a speech in Bihar on January 23, 2020. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, for the Delhi Police, opposed the bail pleas, stating: “If you are doing something against the nation, then you better be in jail till you are acquitted or convicted.” Mehta argued that the accused aimed to “globally defame the nation” by orchestrating riots and arson on a specific date. Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad also represented the police.
A separate bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar is set to rule on co-accused Tasleem Ahmed’s bail plea. The accused in the case include Tahir Hussain, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Isharat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar, Sharjeel Imam, Faizan Khan, and Natasha Narwal.
Case Title: Sharjeel Imam v. State of NCT & Other Connected Matters
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