SC Bail Denial to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam Draws BJP Praise and Congress Critique
Supreme Court denies bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in Delhi riots case, eliciting varied political reactions.
The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots case, observing that allegations against them placed them on a “qualitatively different footing” from other accused. A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjari upheld the earlier Delhi High Court order, citing prima facie evidence against the two accused.
Following the verdict, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) strongly welcomed the decision, with party spokesperson Shehzad Poonawalla accusing the Congress of repeatedly sympathising with the accused. He questioned whether the Congress would apologise for what he termed political and international support extended to Khalid and Imam, referring to letters written by foreign lawmakers seeking a fair trial.
Delhi Minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and BJP leader Kapil Mishra also backed the Supreme Court ruling. Sirsa claimed that rioters were rewarded during previous Congress regimes, while asserting that under BJP governance, strict action would prevail. Mishra described the verdict as legally sound, stating that it reinforced the view that the Delhi riots were the result of a well-planned conspiracy.
Also Read: SC Rejects Bail Pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, Grants Relief to Five Co-Accused
In contrast, Congress leaders and opposition voices expressed concern over the denial of bail. Congress MP Imran Masood refrained from commenting directly on the judgment but reiterated that bail is a fundamental right under constitutional principles. Karnataka Minister Priyank Kharge criticised what he described as selective justice, drawing comparisons between cases involving violent crimes and prolonged incarceration of activists.
The Communist Party of India (Marxist) strongly criticised the ruling, calling it contrary to principles of natural justice. The party highlighted that both accused have spent over five years in jail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act without conviction, arguing that prolonged pre-trial detention undermines the right to liberty and speedy justice.
Former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar also weighed in, flagging concerns over long incarceration. While acknowledging the court’s discretion in distinguishing cases, he pointed out that the Supreme Court itself has previously held prolonged imprisonment as a valid ground for bail, stressing that loss of personal liberty cannot be compensated once denied.
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