SC Denies Bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam in 2020 Riot Case

Jan 5, 2026 – The Supreme Court on Monday (January 5) rejected bail petitions of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riot case. It, however, granted bail to five other co-accused in the case -  Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad.

"Khalid and Imam can pray for bail after one year," India’s Apex Court Bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria said, or after the examination of protected witnesses.

Rejecting Khalid and Imam’s bail petitions, the Bench said the two were “central” to the alleged offence and their case stands on a “qualitatively different footing” in comparison with the other five co-accused. The judges further said that their case cannot be ignored in terms of parity and culpability and that there was a prima facie case against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act which includes not only conventional warfare but all acts of attacking national integrity and sovereignty.

"Threshold under Section 43D(5) stands attracted...continued detention has not crossed constitutional impermissibility to override the statutory embargo as against them," the Supreme Court observed.

With Media Inputs

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