The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to student leaders Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots case, citing the seriousness of allegations and holding that they stand on a &ldquo;qualitatively different footing&rdquo; from other accused.
Both Khalid and Imam have been in custody for several years and had approached the apex court challenging a Delhi High Court order that denied them bail under the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
While denying bail to the two student leaders, a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria allowed the release of five co-accused, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad. The court, however, made it clear that granting bail did not dilute the seriousness of allegations against them and imposed 12 strict conditions, warning that any violation would lead to cancellation of bail.
The judgment, which was reserved on December 10, stressed that offences under the UAPA cannot be viewed as isolated acts and must be examined within the broader statutory framework. The court underlined that bail proceedings are not meant to evaluate the defence in detail and require a structured judicial approach.
The bench also referred to Section 15 of the UAPA, noting that the definition of a terrorist act extends beyond loss of life or property to include disruption of essential services and threats to economic stability. It emphasised that bail pleas under UAPA must be assessed individually, as the degree of alleged involvement differs from accused to accused.
The Supreme Court further directed that the trial be concluded expeditiously and that protected witnesses be examined without delay.
Delhi Police has consistently opposed bail in the case, maintaining that the February 2020 violence was a pre-planned conspiracy aimed at undermining national sovereignty and timed to coincide with the visit of US President Donald Trump. The accused have denied the allegations, arguing that they have been targeted without substantive evidence.

Top court cites gravity of charges, allows bail to five other accused

SC Denies Bail to Khalid, Imam in Riots Case

Top court cites gravity of charges, allows bail to five other accused

January 5, 2026 | 12:30 IST