Activist Umar Khalid approaches SC against Delhi HC's denial of bail in riots conspiracy case
The court said that the trial needs only to progress naturally, as a 'hurried trial' would be detrimental to both the accused and the state.
The court said that the trial needs only to progress naturally, as a 'hurried trial' would be detrimental to both the accused and the state.
The court said that the trial needs only to progress naturally, as a 'hurried trial' would be detrimental to both the accused and the state.
New Delhi: Former JNU scholar and activist Umar Khalid has moved the Supreme Court seeking bail in the Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), after spending five years in custody. He has challenged the Delhi High Court’s September 2 ruling by a division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur that rejected his bail plea.
The Delhi High Court also denied bail to co-accused Sharjeel Imam, Athar Khan, Khalid Saifi, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa ur Rehman, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima and Shadab Ahmed. Sharjeel Imam and Gulfisha Fatima had earlier filed petitions in the Supreme Court against the High Court's judgment.
In its order, the High Court observed that prima facie, the role of Imam and Umar Khalid in the entire conspiracy is “grave”, having delivered inflammatory speeches on communal lines to “instigate mass mobilisation of members of the Muslim community.”
It further stated that the trial needs only to progress naturally, as a “hurried trial” would be detrimental to both the accused and the state. FIR 59 of 2020 was registered by Delhi Police's Special Cell under various offences under the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The other accused in the case are Tahir Hussain, Khalid Saifi, Isharat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar, Sharjeel Imam, Devangana Kalita, Faizan Khan and Natasha Narwal.
In June 2020, Safoora Zargar was given bail on humanitarian grounds on account of her pregnancy. In June 2021, the High Court, on merits, granted bail to three other accused, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Devangana Kalita, and Natasha Narwal.
(With LiveLaw inputs)