The Delhi High Court on Wednesday, September 30, 2026, rejected the regular bail pleas of activist Umar Khalid and former Jawaharlal Nehru University student Sharjeel Imam in the case linked to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 Northeast Delhi riots.
A Division Bench including Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Dinesh Bhatt dismissed the latest bail pleas. The case is being prosecuted under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other penal provisions.
Third bail plea before High Court
For Umar Khalid, this was the third time he had approached the Delhi High Court for regular bail in the case. His previous bail plea was rejected by the High Court in October 2022, and another plea was rejected in September 2025. The Supreme Court then upheld the earlier decisions.
The latest proceedings followed the rejection of the accused persons' bail applications by the trial court on July 4, 2026. Khalid and Imam then challenged the orders before the High Court.
Court Refers to Supreme Court Directions
The High Court considered the Supreme Court’s directions in January 2026 in the Gulfisha Fatima case, according to reports. The High Court said it was bound by the Supreme Court's order and it could not change it in the present situation.
LawBeat reported that the bench specifically referred to the conditions contained in paragraph 432 of the Supreme Court's January 5, 2026 judgment while deciding the bail appeals.
Case connected to February 2020 Delhi Riots.
The proceedings concern FIR 59/2020, which is also the alleged larger conspiracy behind the violence that took place in parts of Northeast Delhi in February 2020.
Umar Khalid was arrested in September 2020 while Sharjeel Imam was arrested in August 2020 in connection with the case. The prosecution has alleged them and others of being involved in the conspiracy. These allegations will be made up in court during trial.
Arguments on charges have been concluded
The court’s latest proceedings also come as the larger case moves forward. LawBeat reported that arguments on charge in the case had concluded on July 13, 2026.
The dismissal of the bail pleas means that the two accused did not receive regular bail from the Delhi High Court in this round of proceedings.
What happened?
The Delhi High Court rejected the bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam on September 30, 2026. The matter was scheduled for hearing on September 30 after an earlier hearing was deferred at the request of Delhi Police.
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