Former Jawaharlal Nehru University student and activist Umar Khalid has approached the Supreme Court to challenge the Delhi High Court’s September 2, 2025, order denying him bail in a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) linked to the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 Delhi riots. The riots, sparked during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), resulted in 53 deaths and over 700 injuries.

The Delhi High Court dismissed bail pleas for Khalid and eight other accused, including activist Sharjeel Imam, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Abdul Khalid Saifi, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shadab Ahmed, with a separate bench rejecting co-accused Tasleem Ahmad’s plea the same day. Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur ruled that violence “under the garb of demonstrations” cannot be permitted, emphasizing that the constitutional right to protest under Article 19(1)(a) is subject to “reasonable restrictions” to maintain law and order.

Arrested in 2020 under UAPA and Indian Penal Code provisions, the accused are alleged to be the “masterminds” of a “well-planned, well-orchestrated conspiracy” to incite communal violence, according to Delhi Police. Solicitor General Tushar Mehta and Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad argued the severity of the charges justifies continued detention. The accused, who have spent over four years in custody with the trial ongoing, sought bail citing prolonged detention and parity with co-accused Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, and Asif Iqbal Tanha, who were granted bail in 2021.

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Khalid, Imam, and others have denied the allegations, labeling the case politically motivated. Imam and Fatima have also appealed to the Supreme Court, as the group continues to challenge what they describe as an unjust legal battle.

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