2020 riots: Delhi HC denies bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam in 'larger conspiracy' case

New Delhi, Sep 2 (PTI) The Delhi High Court on Tuesday denied bail to activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, among others in a UAPA case linked to the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 riots.

A bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur decided the bail pleas of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi and Gulfisha Fatima.

The court reserved its order on July 9 on the pleas filed in 2022, 2023 and 2024.

The prosecution had opposed the pleas saying it was not a case of spontaneous riots but a case where riots were "planned well in advance" with a "sinister motive" and "well-thought-out conspiracy".

Khalid, Imam and others were booked under Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of IPC for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the February 2020 riots, which left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. The violence erupted during the protests against the CAA and NRC. PTI SKV SKV AMK AMK