'Nothing to say, judgment is before you': Umar Khalid’s father on SC bail denial

Khalid, Imam, and other accused were arrested in January 2020 under UAPA following the February 2020 Delhi riots, which erupted amid protests against the then-proposed CAA and NRC, leaving 53 dead and over 700 injured.

Umar Khalid’s father, SQR Ilyas, said he has “nothing to say” after the Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to his son in the 2020 north-east Delhi riots conspiracy case.

“I have nothing to say. The judgment is before you,” Ilyas told reporters when asked about the apex court’s decision.

The Supreme Court denied bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, holding that prima facie evidence exists against them under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria noted that Khalid and Imam “stand on a qualitatively different footing” compared to other accused, describing their alleged roles as “central” to the conspiracy.

The court observed that, although both have been in custody for over five years, the prolonged incarceration does not violate constitutional protections or override the statutory embargo under UAPA.

At the same time, the SC granted bail to five other accused, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad, clarifying that this relief does not dilute the allegations against them.

During the hearing, the accused had largely argued that the trial had been delayed and that they had spent over five years in custody without evidence directly linking them to the outbreak of violence. They also contended that there was no proof they had instigated the riots.

Delhi Police opposed the bail pleas, asserting that the alleged offences were part of a deliberate attempt to destabilise the state. The police claimed the riots were not spontaneous but a well-orchestrated “pan-India” conspiracy, timed to coincide with the official visit of the then US President to India.

The police further argued that the conspiracy led to 53 deaths, extensive property damage, and the registration of 753 FIRs in Delhi alone, and suggested that similar unrest could have been replicated across the country.

The case had earlier seen the Delhi High Court reject the bail pleas of nine accused, including Khalid and Imam, on September 2, 2025. The High Court noted that, prima facie, Khalid and Imam played a “grave” role in the conspiracy, delivering inflammatory speeches aimed at mass mobilization along communal lines.

Khalid, Imam, and other accused were arrested in January 2020 under UAPA following the February 2020 Delhi riots, which erupted amid protests against the then-proposed CAA and NRC, leaving 53 dead and over 700 injured.