Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid represented Rehman, while Senior Advocate Rebecca John appeared for Abdul Khalid Saifi.
Published Sep 02, 2025 | 9:47 PM ⚊ Updated Sep 02, 2025 | 9:47 PM
Umar Khalid. (Creative Commons)
Synopsis: Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Delhi Police, strongly opposed the bail applications. He levelled serious allegations against the accused before the bench, including Khalid and Imam, were “plotting to divide the nation along religious lines”, and those involved in “anti-national activities” should not be granted bail.
The Delhi High Court On Tuesday, 2 September, rejected bail request of Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima and Sharjeel Imam, along with six others, in a “larger conspiracy case” under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) linked to the 2020 north-east Delhi riots.
The nine accused who applied for bail were Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi, Athar Khan, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shadab Ahmed.
As the trial court has yet to formally charge them, the accused primarily sought bail due to the prolonged delay in the trial, which has resulted in their extended detention.
A bench comprising Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur delivered the verdict.
Umar Khalid and others have been denied bail by the Delhi High Court, despite, five years or so of incarceration. Many of us fail to see it, but the rot in the judiciary has become far greater than we imagine. Today’s dismissal of the bail pleas, by a bench of Justices Navin…
— Saurav Das (@SauravDassss) September 2, 2025
“All appeals are dismissed,” the Court declared while announcing the decision.
In a separate ruling earlier today, a different bench of the high court junked the bail application of another accused, Tasleem Ahmed, in connection with the same case.
Umar Khalid was arrested in September 2020 and charged with criminal conspiracy, rioting, unlawful assembly, and various other offences under the UAPA.
He has remained in custody since then. This was his second attempt to secure bail.
The trial court initially rejected his bail application in March 2022. He then approached the Delhi High Court, which also denied him relief in October 2022, leading him to appeal to the Supreme Court.
1,800+ days in jail without trial. Bail is the rule as per Supreme Court, but not people like Umar Khalid.
Umar Khalid has never given a hate speech. He’s always talked about unity. pic.twitter.com/DVS5QbmzBc— Mohammed Zubair (@zoo_bear) September 2, 2025
In May 2023, the Supreme Court requested a response from the Delhi Police regarding the matter. His plea was adjourned 14 times before the apex court.
On 14 February 2024, Khalid withdrew his bail plea from the Supreme Court, citing a “change in circumstances.”
A Supreme Court bench of Justices Bela M Trivedi and Pankaj Mithal was scheduled to hear the case on 14 February when Khalid’s counsel, Kapil Sibal, informed the court that the bail plea was being withdrawn.
On 28 May, the trial court rejected his second bail application, prompting the current appeal to the high court.
Others also sought relief from the high court after their bail applications were rejected by the trial court.
Delhi HC denies bail to Umar Khalid & 6 others after 5 years of incarceration, where nothing has even moved in the case. Grossest travesty of justice. We have to fight in SC now. @IndiraJaising
— Mahua Moitra (@MahuaMoitra) September 2, 2025
Senior Advocate Trideep Pais represented Umar Khalid.
Regarding WhatsApp group conversations cited as evidence by the Delhi Police, Senior Advocate Trideep Pais, on behalf of Khalid, argued that he was part of three groups but rarely sent messages in them.
“Merely being on a group is not any indication of anything wrong, in this case I have not even said anything. I only shared the location of a protest site when someone asked for it. Someone sent me a message. If someone chooses to inform me, it is not attributable to me. Anyway, there was no criminality in the message,” Pais argued.
#UmarKhalid is denied bail again.
A boy who dreamt of a better India is now caged like a criminal.
His mother waits every day with tears in her eyes.
His father still hopes justice will return.No evidence no justice only vendetta.
This is undeclared Emergency 🚨 pic.twitter.com/4idOFC6VtW
— Amock (@Politicx2029) September 2, 2025
He further argued that there were no allegations of violence or fundraising against Khalid and that his speeches were grounded in Gandhian principles.
Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Delhi Police, strongly opposed the bail applications.
He levelled serious allegations against the accused before the bench, including Khalid and Imam, were “plotting to divide the nation along religious lines”, and those involved in “anti-national activities” should not be granted bail.
“Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam were preparing to divide the nation, cutting the nation on the basis of religion. They are all acting in concert, Gufisha, Umar, everyone – they are in touch with each other via WhatsApp group and conspiracy is taking place,” Mehta stated.
Senior Advocate Salman Khurshid represented Rehman, while Senior Advocate Rebecca John appeared for Abdul Khalid Saifi.
(Edited by Amit Vasudev)
