The Delhi High Court on Wednesday declined to grant bail to activist Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the case concerning the alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 North-East Delhi riots.
A Division Bench comprising Justice Prathiba M Singh and Justice Dinesh Bhatt passed the order, marking the third occasion on which the High Court has refused bail to Khalid and Imam in the case.
The latest round of litigation arose after the Karkardooma trial court rejected their fresh bail applications on July 4, 2026. Khalid had challenged the rejection of his third regular bail plea, while Imam had also approached the High Court against the refusal of relief.
The proceedings relate to FIR No. 59 of 2020, registered by the Delhi Police Special Cell in connection with the alleged conspiracy underlying the communal violence that erupted in North-East Delhi in February 2020. The prosecution has invoked provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, besides other penal provisions.
The principal issue in the present round of proceedings concerned whether subsequent developments in the Supreme Court could constitute a change in circumstances warranting reconsideration of the accused’s bail claims.
Khalid and Imam relied, among other things, upon the Supreme Court’s decision in Syed Iftikhar Andrabi v. NIA. Their case was that observations made by a different Bench of the Supreme Court in that matter had raised questions concerning the reasoning adopted while denying them bail in January 2026 and consequently altered the legal position relevant to their applications.
The Delhi Police opposed that contention. According to the prosecution, the decision in Syed Iftikhar Andrabi arose in a separate factual setting and could not displace the findings and directions specifically rendered by the Supreme Court in relation to Khalid and Imam.
The prosecution had also maintained that the fresh bail proceedings were premature in view of the Supreme Court’s January 2026 judgment. The apex court had denied bail to Khalid and Imam while granting relief to five other accused in the same case. It had indicated that the two could renew their bail pleas after the examination of protected witnesses or upon expiry of one year from the date of its or
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