Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and seven others, former students of JNU, were denied bail by the Delhi High Court on Tuesday in the conspiracy case related to the February 2020 riots. The accused applied for bail on the grounds of prolonged imprisonment due to delays in the trial, noting that charges haven’t yet been framed.
All appeals dismissed
On July 9, a bench comprising Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur, after hearing arguments from both the prosecution and the accused, dismissed the appeals, stating, “All appeals are dismissed.” A detailed order has since been reserved. The key accused include Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Mohammad Saleem Khan, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi, and Gulfisha Fatima.
Granting bail not justified
The bail application was rejected as the prosecution argued that the case was not one of spontaneous riots but a premeditated act planned with a sinister motive. Representing the prosecution, Solicitor General Tushar Mehta contended that the case involved a conspiracy to defame India internationally, and thus granting bail was not justified. Mehta said, “If you do anything against your nation, you better be in jail till you are acquitted.”
Counsel’s argument
Sharjeel Imam’s counsel had earlier argued that he was “completely disconnected” from the place, time, and co-accused persons, including Umar Khalid. His speeches and WhatsApp chats never incited unrest, the counsel argued.
All the accused, including Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, have been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other sections of the IPC for orchestrating the February 2020 riots, which led to 53 deaths and over 700 injuries.
Key accused in the case
The accused in the case include Tahir Hussain, Umar Khalid, Abdul Khalid Saifi, Ishrat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohammad Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar, Sharjeel Imam, Faizan Khan, and Natasha Narwal.Delhi HC: No Bail in Anti-CAA Riots Case; Charges Yet to Be Framed.