A court in Delhi has requested a reply from the Delhi Police regarding new bail applications submitted by Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid in connection to the 2020 riots conspiracy case. The court has issued notice on the bail pleas and instructed the Delhi Police to respond, with the next hearing scheduled for July 4. Both Imam and Khalid have filed regular bail pleas under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and other legal provisions.
Imam, in his plea, highlighted the lack of progress in the trial since his previous bail application was rejected by the Supreme Court in January. He emphasized that the arguments on framing charges are still ongoing, and he has been in custody for nearly six years. Khalid has also sought regular bail, and both applications were considered together by the court, prompting the request for the Delhi Police’s stance.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court denied bail to Khalid and Imam, citing prima facie grounds under the UAPA. However, bail was granted to five other accused in the same case. Recently, the Supreme Court granted interim bail to two more individuals, Tasleem Ahmed and Khalid Saifi, for six months while referring a related question to a larger Bench for consideration. The court noted differing views on bail matters under stringent laws like the UAPA and the NIA Act and directed the matter to the Chief Justice of India for appropriate action.
