‘Happy and relieved for other accused who got bail’: Umar Khalid’s first reaction after SC setback

In his first reaction after the Supreme Court denied him bail in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, jailed activist Umar Khalid on Monday said that he was relieved after other accused were granted bail.

“I am really happy for others who got bail!! So relieved,” Khalid told his partner Banojyotsna Lahiri, who shared the conversation on X.

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When she said that she will visit him in jail on Tuesday, the activist responded: “Good good, aa jana. Ab yehi zindagi hai (this is my life now).”

Khalid and Sarjeel Imam, another key accused in the case, have been lodged in jail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) since 2020.

The top court earlier today denied them bail and said that the duo won’t be able to file a fresh bail petition for one year or until the examination of protected accused, whichever is earlier.

However, five other accused, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed, were granted conditional bail. They were also behind bars for the last five years.

The Supreme Court said Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam’s case stands on a “qualitatively different footing” than that of other accused, both in terms of prosecution and evidence.

Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam cannot apply for bail for one year: What the SC said in Delhi riots case

The top court said the duo played roles that were “central” to the alleged offences.

The apex court also noted that while the period of incarceration for Khalid and Imam has continued and has been long, it still does not violate the constitutional mandate or override the statutory embargo under the law.

Pronouncing the judgement, a Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Prasanna B Varale said that a prima facie case is made out against the activist duo, thereby attracting the statutory bar to bail under Section 43D(5) of the UAPA.