Prolonged Detention Sparks Debate: Supreme Court Denies Bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam

Former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar expressed concerns over the Supreme Court's decision to deny bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, highlighting the issue of prolonged detention. The Court distinguished their cases from others, noting their central roles in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy, while granting bail to five co-accused.

In a critical legal development, the Supreme Court of India denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, key figures implicated in the alleged conspiracy behind the 2020 north-east Delhi riots. The decision has sparked discourse on the issue of prolonged incarceration, emphasized by former Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar.

Kumar voiced concerns, highlighting that long periods of detention should be a crucial consideration in bail hearings. He remarked that civil libertarians would find the ongoing detention troubling. Despite the court's reasoning distinguishing these cases, the length of Khalid and Imam's detention remains contentious.

The Supreme Court's verdict diverged by granting bail to five co-accused, recognizing differences in evidence and roles between them and Khalid and Imam. The latter were deemed to have played 'central' roles, justifying the prolonged detention in the court's view. The discourse around their incarceration stirs debate over civil liberties and justice.

(With inputs from agencies.)