Almost Six Years Without Trial, Delhi Court Denies Bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam Again

In May, a Supreme Court bench had cast doubts over the judgment through which the apex court had denied bail to the scholars.

The Wire Staff

In May, a Supreme Court bench had cast doubts over the judgment through which the apex court had denied bail to the scholars.

almost six years without trial delhi court denies bail to umar khalid and sharjeel imam again

A collage of Umar Khalid (L) and Sharjeel Imam. Photo: The Wire with Canva.

New Delhi: A Delhi court today rejected fresh bail pleas filed by Jawaharlal Nehru University scholars Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, both of whom have been incarcerated for nearly six years in connection with what the Delhi Police believes is the “larger conspiracy” behind the Delhi communal violence of 2020.

The Supreme Court had denied bail to them in January this year. In May, a separate bench appeared to doubt the judgment in the controversial order.

Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Courts dismissed the bail pleas filed by both the accused persons, LiveLaw has reported.

Appearing for Khalid, senior advocate Trideep Pais said that the Supreme Court had while refusing to grant bail to Khalid had said that for one year Umar and Imam could not apply for bail but that in the meantime protected witnesses should be examined.

Pais noted the delay in trial and the apex court's order granting interim bail to fellow accused in the controversial 'conspiracy' case Tasleem Ahmed and Khalid Saifi for six months.

"I am in custody continuously. Even when I applied for SLP [special leave petition] it continued. Change of circumstances in law, your honour has seen those orders. If I have to make submissions on merits, I am ready to make. But long and short is that there is no recovery, no statement leading to any discovery, I am not present, no violence alleged, there is only one video which is of 17 days prior in Amravati. I submit that I am entitled to bail," Pais argued on behalf of Khalid, according to LiveLaw.

The report noted that for Sharjeel Imam, advocate Talib Mustafa argued similarly on the lack of likelihood of trial ending soon.

The January 5 order in which the Supreme Court denied bail to the two had granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meera Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed.

This article went live on July fourth, two thousand twenty six, at fifty-six minutes past four in the afternoon.

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