SC issues notice to Delhi Police on bail pleas of Umar Khalid, four others in 2020 riots case

The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice seeking the Delhi Police’s stand on petitions filed by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima and Shifa Ur Rehman, who have been accused of being part of a “larger conspiracy” behind the 2020 Delhi riots, Live Law reported.

A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria listed the matter for hearing on October 7.

On Monday, the petitioners’ counsel told the court that they have been in jail for over five years, Bar and Bench reported.

The counsel added that while an application for interim bail has been filed, it was not pressed during Monday’s hearing. The petitioners also requested an earlier hearing date before Diwali.

In response, the court said: “Yes, we will hear you and dispose it [of]…issue notice in all.”

The petitioners have challenged the Delhi High Court’s September 2 judgment dismissing their bail applications.

A division bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur had rejected the bail pleas of Khalid, Fatima, Imam, Mohd Saleem Khan, Rehman, Athar Khan, Haider and Abdul Khalid Saifi.

Another bench of Justices Subramonium Prasad and Harish Vaidyanathan Shankar had dismissed the plea of Tasleem Ahmed.

The violence in 2020 had left 53 dead and hundreds injured. Most of those killed were Muslims.

The Delhi Police have claimed that the violence was part of a larger conspiracy to defame...

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