The Delhi High Court on Tuesday, September 2, dismissed the bail petitions of former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) students Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, along with seven others, in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.
The accused had sought bail on the ground that despite being in custody for several years, charges against them are yet to be framed by the trial court, resulting in what they termed “prolonged incarceration without trial.”
The Bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur, while pronouncing the verdict, stated briefly, “All appeals are dismissed.” The court, however, noted that a detailed judgment would be made available separately.
The Anti- CAA Activists
Besides Imam and Khalid, those whose bail pleas were rejected include Mohd. Saleem Khan, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed, Abdul Khalid Saifi, and Gulfisha Fatima. They are all facing charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in the conspiracy case, in which the prosecution has alleged that the communal violence in northeast Delhi in February 2020 was the result of a coordinated plan.
On the same day, another bench of the High Court also dismissed the bail application of accused Tasleem Ahmed, who is facing similar allegations in the case.
The 2020 violence, which broke out amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, claimed over 50 lives and left hundreds injured. Investigators have argued that the protests were used as a cover to instigate riots, while the accused maintain they are being targeted for their political dissent and opposition to the government. The dismissal of bail pleas means the accused will continue to remain in judicial custody as the trial remains pending
How Long Have they Been Behind the Bars?
Sharjeel Imam has been in custody for 2,044 days, while Umar Khalid has completed 1,815 days. Athar Khan has spent 1,891 days in jail, and Khalid Saifi has been behind bars for 2,015 days. Mohd. Saleem Khan has been in prison for 1,896 days, Shifa-ur-Rehman for 1,955 days, and Meeran Haider for 1,980 days. Gulfisha Fatima has completed 1,977 days, and Shadab Ahmed has spent 1,909 days in custody.
