Supreme Court Reserves Verdict on Activists' Bail Pleas in 2020 Delhi Riots Case

The Supreme Court has reserved its verdict on the bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in a UAPA case connected to the February 2020 Delhi riots. The accused, booked under anti-terror laws, challenge a previous denial of bail amid claims of orchestrated violence against India's sovereignty.

The Supreme Court, on Wednesday, reserved its decision regarding the bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and others involved in the UAPA case concerning the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 riots in Delhi.

A bench consisting of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria engaged in hearings, with arguments presented by Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, Additional Solicitor General S V Raju, and senior advocates including Kapil Sibal, Abhishek Singhvi, Siddhartha Dave, Salman Khurshid, and Sidharth Luthra.

The Delhi Police strongly opposed the bail pleas, suggesting that the February 2020 riots were premeditated attacks on India's sovereignty, involving Khalid and Imam as alleged masterminds. The activists, challenging a previous denial of bail by the Delhi High Court, have been accused under the UAPA and several provisions of the IPC following violence stemming from protests against the CAA and NRC.

(With inputs from agencies.)