September 10, 2025

The drama in the 2020 Delhi riots case is far from over! Activist Umar Khalid has taken his fight to the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court rejected his bail plea. Khalid, along with eight others including Sharjeel Imam, was denied bail on September 2 in a case linked to the bloody February 2020 riots in the national capital. These accused were charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and sections of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly masterminding the violence. The riots left a heart-wrenching toll — 53 people dead and over 700 injured — during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). The High Court, while rejecting bail, said that citizens do have the right to protest and hold demonstrations peacefully and without arms. But, it warned, this right cannot be used as a cover for "conspiratorial" violence. The Court explained, "The right to participate in peaceful protests and to make speeches in public meetings... couldn't be blatantly curtailed," but it added this right is "not absolute" and must face "reasonable restrictions." The order stressed, "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." Apart from Khalid and Imam, bail was denied to Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shadab Ahmed. Another accused, Tasleem Ahmed, had his bail plea rejected by a separate bench the same day. Some of the accused, including Imam and Gulfisha Fatima, have already taken the bold step of moving the Supreme Court, challenging the High Court's decision. Meanwhile, all these accused have been behind bars since 2020 and have consistently denied all charges against them. As the legal battle intensifies, all eyes are now on the Supreme Court to see how it handles this explosive case linked to the chilling 2020 Delhi riots. (Photo Credit: Emmanual Yogini)

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Tags: Umar khalid, Delhi riots 2020, Uapa case, Supreme court, Bail plea, Delhi high court,