Supreme Court to Deliver Verdict Today on Bail Pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam in Delhi Riots Case

New Delhi: The Supreme Court will pronounce its verdict today on the bail pleas of accused including Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots conspiracy case. The final decision will be delivered on the bail applications filed by Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed, and Mohammad Salim Khan.

A Bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice N V Anjaria will deliver the judgment.

The accused, including several student leaders, were arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the violence that broke out in northeast Delhi in February 2020. Senior advocates Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi, Sidharth Dave, Salman Khurshid, and Sidharth Luthra appeared on behalf of the accused, who have been in custody for over five years without the commencement of trial.

Representing the Delhi Police, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Additional Solicitor General S V Raju appeared before the court. After the conclusion of arguments on December 10, the matter was reserved for judgment.

The violence in northeast Delhi claimed 50 lives and left over 200 people injured. The student activists arrested in the alleged conspiracy case have remained in custody for more than five years. Last month, a trial court had granted Umar Khalid two weeks of interim bail to attend his sister's wedding.