Story perspectives

Delhi High Court Rejects Bail for Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam

By Drooid · Sep 30, 2026, 11:15 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

Delhi Court Denies Bail

Delhi High Court denied bail to activist Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.
Court said the Supreme Court’s Jan 5 2026 order on one-year or protected-witness examination was unmet.
Khalid and Imam argued the Syed Iftikhar Andrabi judgment changed circumstances.
Delhi Police opposed, labeling them ideological drivers with profiles and rejecting parity with bailed co-accused.
Supreme Court granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohammad Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad.

Summary

Police Probe Riots

The north-east Delhi riots killed 53 people and injured over 700 in February 2020.
Violence erupted during mass protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens.
The unrest spread through Seelampur, Shahdara and Karawal Nagar neighborhoods.
Delhi Police’s Special Cell opened a probe, charging suspects under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The case has drawn national attention, highlighting tensions between law enforcement and civil-rights advocates.

History

Historical Context

The Gujarat communal violence erupted on 28 February 2002 after the Godhra train fire, killing 1,044 people—790 Muslims and 254 Hindus—across 151 towns and 993 villages. Chief Minister Narendra Modi’s administration faced accusations of police collusion, prompting a Supreme Court-appointed Special Investigation Team in 2012 that cleared him, and a 2022 Court ruling that ended remaining prosecutions.

1 of 3

Delhi Court Denies Bail

Delhi High Court denied bail to activist Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.
Court said the Supreme Court’s Jan 5 2026 order on one-year or protected-witness examination was unmet.
Khalid and Imam argued the Syed Iftikhar Andrabi judgment changed circumstances.
Delhi Police opposed, labeling them ideological drivers with profiles and rejecting parity with bailed co-accused.
Supreme Court granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohammad Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad.

1 / 3