Supreme Court Denies Bail in High-Profile Delhi Riots Case

The Supreme Court has refused bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, key accused in the Delhi riots case. The 2020 riots resulted in over 50 deaths. A timeline from the initial arrests, various chargesheets, to recent bail pleas outlines critical legal proceedings over the years.

In a landmark decision, the Supreme Court on Monday denied bail to two key activists, Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, implicated in the Delhi riots case of 2020. The riots, which erupted in February of 2020, saw over 50 fatalities and hundreds injured, making it a significant legal matter.

The legal proceedings included arrests beginning in early 2020, with ensuing charges under various provisions of UAPA and IPC against 15 individuals. Multiple supplementary chargesheets were filed from November 2020 through June 2023, indicating the complexity and scale of the case against the accused.

Despite numerous bail applications being dismissed by trial courts, and later by the Delhi High Court, interim relief was granted briefly to some, such as Umar Khalid for personal reasons. However, on January 5, 2026, the Supreme Court ultimately denied bail to Khalid and Imam, while granting it to other co-accused individuals.

(With inputs from agencies.)