Full Breakdown
Delhi High Court Adjourns Bail Hearings for Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam
By Drooid · · How we work
Core Event
On September 21 2026, a two-judge bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Dinesh Bhatt deferred the bail hearings of former JNU scholar Umar Khalid and activist Sharjeel Imam to September 30 2026 after the prosecution cited the unavailability of Additional Solicitor General S. V. Raju for health reasons. The case is under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for alleged involvement in the February 2020 North-East Delhi riots that caused 53 deaths and over 700 injuries.
Background & Context
The riots followed protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 and the proposed National Register of Citizens. The Delhi Police Special Cell’s charge sheet alleges that Khalid and Imam played “central and formative” roles in planning the violence. The trial court rejected their bail applications on July 4 2026, invoking a January 5 2026 Supreme Court ruling that bars bail until protected witnesses are examined or a year passes from that date.
Timeline
| Date | Event |
|---|---|
| Sept 13 2020 | Umar Khalid arrested (UAPA). |
| Aug 25 2020 | Sharjeel Imam arrested (UAPA). |
| July 4 2026 | Trial court dismisses bail applications. |
| Sept 2 2025 | High Court division bench denies bail. |
| Sept 21 2026 | High Court adjourns bail hearing to Sept 30 2026. |
| Sept 30 2026 (scheduled) | Resumption of bail hearing. |
| May 22 2026 | Supreme Court grants interim bail to co-accused Abdul Khalid Saifi and Tasleem Ahmed. |
Data & Statistics
- Deaths: 53
- Injuries: > 700
- Charges: UAPA provisions and IPC offences
- Co-accused granted interim bail: 2 (Saifi, Ahmed)
Official Statements & Responses
- State (Delhi Police/Prosecution): Argues the bail petitions are “misconceived and illegal,” noting that protected witnesses have not been examined and the one-year period has not elapsed, per the January 5 2026 directive.
- Special Public Prosecutor Madhukar Pandey: Requested the adjournment, citing S. V. Raju’s health-related unavailability.
Conflicting Reports & Gaps
- Arrest dates: The prosecution lists Khalid’s arrest as “September 2020,” while the Hindustan Times specifies Sept 13 2020; other sources do not give a day.
- Effect of May 22 2026 bail order: The prosecution says the interim bail to other co-accused does not apply to Khalid and Imam, but differing interpretations of the Tasleem Ahmed v. NIA judgment create legal uncertainty.
What’s Next
The High Court will reconvene on September 30 2026 to hear the renewed bail petitions. The decision will depend on whether protected witnesses have been examined or the one-year deadline from the January 5 2026 Supreme Court ruling has been met. No further dates have been announced.