Umar Khalid Seeks Bail For 3rd Time; Delhi HC Issues Notice To Police For Reply, Joint Hearing With Sharjeel Imam On Aug 27
Delhi High Court sought Delhi Police's response on Umar Khalid's bail plea in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case under the UAPA
The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the response of the Delhi Police on a fresh bail plea filed by activist Umar Khalid in the alleged "larger conspiracy" case linked to the February 2020 North East Delhi riots, which is being investigated under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
The Division Bench of Justice Prathiba M. Singh and Justice Vikas Mahajan issued notice to the Delhi Police and directed it to file its reply within two weeks.
During the hearing, counsel appearing for Khalid submitted that this was his third bail application since his arrest in September 2020. The counsel also sought interim bail on his behalf.
The Bench observed that Khalid's plea would be heard on August 27, the date already fixed for hearing the bail appeal of co-accused Sharjeel Imam, whose application had also been rejected by the trial court.
Appearing for the Delhi Police, Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju submitted that both Khalid's and Imam's bail applications had been dismissed by the same trial court order and, therefore, could appropriately be heard together.
Khalid has challenged the July 4 order of the trial court refusing him bail in the case.
The trial court had held that it had "no option but to follow" the Supreme Court's January 5 judgment and, therefore, lacked the jurisdiction to entertain or grant the relief sought.
Khalid was arrested in September 2020 and has been accused of being one of the alleged masterminds behind the larger conspiracy relating to the February 2020 communal riots in North East Delhi, which claimed 53 lives and left over 700 people injured.
The violence had broken out during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019 (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC).
The Delhi Police Special Cell has also chargesheeted several others in the conspiracy case, including Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi, and former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, among others.
Earlier, on September 2, 2025, the Delhi High Court had refused to grant bail to Khalid. That decision was subsequently upheld by the Supreme Court on January 5, although the apex court granted bail to several co-accused, including Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohammad Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad.
While affirming the denial of bail to Khalid and Imam, the Supreme Court had observed that a prima facie case under the UAPA was made out against them and held that all accused could not be treated alike, having regard to the alleged "hierarchy of participation" in the conspiracy.
Background of the Case
The case arises out of FIR No. 59/2020, registered by the Delhi Police Special Cell in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the communal violence that erupted in North East Delhi in February 2020. The FIR invokes multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, along with offences under the UAPA.
In his bail application, Sharjeel Imam has highlighted that despite more than six months having elapsed since the Supreme Court's judgment refusing bail, there has been no meaningful progress in the trial. He has pointed out that arguments on charge are yet to conclude and that he has remained incarcerated for nearly six years.
Imam has contended that the prolonged delay in the proceedings has resulted in continued detention without commencement of trial, strengthening his claim for grant of regular bail. Umar Khalid has also sought regular bail on similar grounds before the trial court.
The two accused are among several individuals facing prosecution in the conspiracy case. Others named in the FIR include former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, 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, Faizan Khan and Natasha Narwal. The prosecution alleges that the accused were part of a larger conspiracy that culminated in the North East Delhi riots of February 2020. The accused have consistently denied the allegations.
Recently, the High Court had granted Khalid a three-day interim bail in the larger conspiracy case connected to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, allowing him to meet his mother, who is scheduled to undergo surgery, and attend the Chehlum ceremony of his deceased uncle.
The Court had held that the circumstances warranted a humanitarian approach and temporarily released Khalid despite the pendency of serious charges against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). By granting only three days of interim bail instead of the fifteen days sought, the High Court sought to balance Khalid’s personal circumstances with the concerns raised by the prosecution regarding the nature of the allegations against him. Earlier, Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai at Karkardooma court rejected the bail plea of Umar Khalid.
Case Title: Umar Khalid v. State
Bench: Justices Prathiba M Singh and Vikas Mahajan
Hearing Date: July 31, 2026