New Delhi

The Supreme Court on Monday denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, while granting bail to five other accused in the case.

A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad, observing that they stood on a different footing from Khalid and Imam.

The court held that Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam were placed on a “qualitatively different footing” in terms of the prosecution case and evidence, noting that their alleged roles were “central” to the conspiracy.

The bench said that although the period of incarceration of Khalid and Imam has been long, it does not violate constitutional mandates nor override the statutory embargo under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The verdict was pronounced on bail pleas in which the apex court had reserved its judgment on December 10, after hearing detailed submissions from all parties.

During the hearing, counsels for the accused had argued that the trial was unlikely to commence in the near future and that the accused had been in custody for over five years. It was also contended that there was no evidence to show that they instigated violence during the riots.

Opposing the pleas, Delhi Police argued that the alleged offences were part of a deliberate and premeditated attempt to destabilise the state. The police described the riots as a well-orchestrated “pan-India conspiracy” aimed at “regime change” and “economic strangulation.”

The prosecution further submitted that the conspiracy was allegedly timed to coincide with the official visit of the then US President to India, with the intent of drawing international attention and globalising protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

According to Delhi Police, the issue of CAA was used as a “radicalising catalyst” under the guise of peaceful protests. It claimed the alleged conspiracy resulted in the death of 53 people, injuries to over 700, large-scale damage to public property, and the registration of 753 FIRs in Delhi.

Earlier, on September 2, 2025, the Delhi High Court had rejected the bail pleas of nine accused, including Khalid and Imam, observing that their alleged role in the conspiracy was “grave” and involved delivering inflammatory speeches to instigate mass mobilisation.

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Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others were arrested under UAPA for their alleged role in the February 2020 riots, which broke out during protests against the then-proposed CAA and National Register of Citizens (NRC). The violence claimed 53 lives.