Umar Khalid bail denied: ‘Emotionally drained’ parents recall ‘man who spoke of love’ as ex-JNU scholar stays in jail | Today News

Activist Umar Khalid’s family expressed disappointment at the Supreme Court’s refusal to grant him bail on Monday in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case.

Umar, along with 17 others, is facing allegations of indulging in a “larger conspiracy” to cause the riots in Northeast Delhi between February 23, 2020 and February 25, 2020, which left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

Booked for offences under the Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Arms Act and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Umar has been described as a ‘veteran of sedition’ by the Delhi Police Special Cell in its chargesheet.

Umar Khalid has been in custody since 13 September 2020. Umar Khalid’s father Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas said the family was confident he would get bail. Speaking with Indian Express he said Ilyas recalled when Umar Khalid was out on interim bail last month to attend a family wedding. “This time when Umar came home, even he was hopeful that he would be getting bail,” he said.

Ilyas, who was in court on Monday, said the family felt a 'deep sense of injustice' at the decision, claiming there was no material to support allegations levelled against Umar Khalid.

"This is an unfortunate decision. There is no evidence that shows that my son has made any anti-national speech or committed any anti-national act, In fact, when the riots happened, he was not even in Delhi," Ilyas told Times of India.

Ilyas said the order was ‘emotionally draining’ for the family. "This is very difficult time for us, He has already spent so many years in jail without trial, and now he will have to wait for another one year before we can appeal for bail again," he told TOI.

The Court, while rejecting the bail, said that Khalid and co-accused Sharjeel Imam can move for bail again on completion of examination of protected witnesses or completion of one year from the present order.

Umar Khalid, reacted to the Supreme Court’s denial of bail in the 2020 Delhi Riots ‘larger conspiracy’ case. Khalid, who has been in custody since 13 September 2020, said this is what his life has become.

“I am really happy for the others, who got bail! So relieved,” Umar told his partner Banojyotsna Lahiri, who put out portions of her conversation with Umar on X.

The court, however, granted bail to five other co-accused in the same case, citing the gravity of the allegations against Khalid and Imam, legal news website Bar and Bench reported.

The Apex court said it was necessary to examine each appeal independently, adding that the record discloses that the appellants are not on equal footing when it comes to culpability.

“Good good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai (this is what his life has become),” Umar Khalid responded, as per his partner's post on X.

While refusing bail to Umar and co-accused Sharjeel Imam a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria, in its judgment spanning 142 pages said that the ground of delay in trial would not operate as a trump card for an automatic grant of bail for offences punishable under the stringent Unlawful (Activities) Prevention Act (UAPA).

“In prosecutions alleging offences which implicate the sovereignty, integrity or security of the State, delay does not operate as a trump card that automatically displaces statutory restraint. Rather, delay serves as a trigger for heightened judicial scrutiny," the bench said.

The February 2020 riots in northeast Delhi left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured. The violence erupted during widespread protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act and the National Register of Citizens.

The accused moved the apex court, challenging the Delhi High Court's September 2, 2025, order denying them bail in the larger conspiracy case of the riots.