2020 Delhi Riots: Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Others Conclude Bail Arguments in Supreme Court
SC to hear Delhi Police response on November 11 after accused including Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam conclude bail arguments in 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case
Six accused in the 2020 Delhi riots ‘larger conspiracy’ case, including Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, concluded their arguments before the Supreme Court on Thursday in their pleas seeking bail.
The Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria heard the batch of petitions filed by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shadab Ahmed and Mohd. Saleem Khan.
The Delhi Police is set to begin its arguments on November 11 (Tuesday). Solicitor General Tushar Mehta along with Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju will counter the bail pleas.
During the hearing today, Senior Advocate Sidharth Luthra, appearing for accused Shadab Ahmed, submitted that there was no delay attributable to his client in the trial proceedings.
“He is 27 years old and working as a supervisor at NDS Enterprises, Jagatpuri, since 2016. Arguments on charge are going on, but for me, the arguments are over, there’s no delay on my part,” Luthra said.
Responding to queries from the Bench about the use of the term “chakka jam,” Luthra explained that it was a colloquial phrase meaning to “stop the wheels of traffic".
With the petitioners closing their submissions, the Supreme Court will now hear the Delhi Police’s response when the matter resumes on November 11.
On October 31, the Court was informed, “I called for ‘chakka jam’, protest against the CAA Bill that was being introduced. My speeches were of two months prior to the riots,” by Senior Advocate Siddhartha Dave had said, clarifying that Imam’s speeches were limited to civil protest.
In a detailed affidavit filed before the Supreme Court, the Delhi Police has accused Sharjeel Imam of being a “key conspirator” in the 2020 Delhi riots, allegedly acting under the directions of Umar Khalid and other senior planners. The police has also described the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) as part of a “regime change operation,” asserting that the conspiracy was timed to coincide with the visit of then U.S. President Donald Trump to draw international attention.
Previously, the Supreme Court had also refused to entertain an Article 32 petition filed by Fatima who had submitted before Court that she had been in jail for 4 years while her bail application has been pending for last 2 and a half years. As per the ASJ Amitabh Rawat's order of March 17, 2022 whereby it had rejected Gulfisha’s bail, Court had found that Gulfisha was present in North East Delhi at the time of the riots and as per witness statements, she was the one who started the blockade and prompted an attack on police personnel and others with weapons like dande, Lal-mirch powder and others in Jafrabad area which had a "cascading effect leading to riots".
Case Title: Gulfisha Fatima v. State of NCT of Delhi and connected matters
Hearing Date: November 3, 2025
Bench: Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria