The Supreme Court on Friday deferred hearing the bail applications of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Meeran Haider, and Gulfisha Fatima, all accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case and facing charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
A Bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and Manmohan rescheduled the proceedings to Monday, 22 September, after an adjournment requested on behalf of the petitioners.
In the previous hearing, the Bench led by Justice Kumar flagged difficulties in hearing the batch of special leave petitions (SLPs) and directed the court to relist them on September 19.
Earlier, the Delhi High Court had rejected bail applications of several activists and student leaders allegedly linked to the wider conspiracy behind the North-East Delhi riots.
On 2 September, a Bench of Justices Shalinder Kaur and Navin Chawla observed that there was prima facie enough evidence suggesting Imam and Khalid had orchestrated the violence.
Inflammatory Speeches and Timing
The High Court noted that Khalid and Imam had delivered inflammatory speeches on 24 February 2020, coinciding with then US President Donald Trump’s visit to India.
The prosecution claimed that the accused deliberately timed these to incite riots on 23–24 February and draw global attention.
The Delhi High Court stated, “The alleged inflammatory and provocative speeches delivered by the appellants, when considered in totality, prima facie indicate their role in the alleged conspiracy.”
Regarding Meeran Haider, the court pointed out her alleged role in providing funds to the Alumni Association of Jamia Millia Islamia (AAJMI), where JCC (JMI Coordination Committee) meetings were held.
The Bench also highlighted that the prosecution’s claim of completed investigation against Haider did not constitute a significant change to justify bail, citing pending witness examinations and the seriousness of the alleged conspiracy.
According to prosecutors, Gulfisha Fatima used code words to direct protesters and received funds to further the alleged conspiracy.
The February 2020 Delhi riots, which erupted amid protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), resulted in 53 deaths and over 700 injuries.
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