2020 Delhi riots: SC defers hearing on bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam to October 31

New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant two weeks time to the Delhi Police for filing its response on bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima and Meeran Haider in the UAPA case related to the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 riots in Delhi. 

A bench led by Justice Aravind Kumar said that in bail matters, there is no question of filing a counter affidavit.

As Additional Solicitor General S V Raju for the Delhi Police, sought time to file counter affidavit within two weeks, the bench told him, “On Friday, you ensure that you receive proper instructions from your colleagues”.

The bench, also comprising Justice N V Anjaria said the court would hear the matter on October 31.

The court told Raju that he may be appearing for the first time, but earlier it had granted sufficient time to the Delhi Police to file its response. 

Senior advocate Kapil Sibal, representing Khalid, pointed out that in the earlier hearing bench had asked the other side to file its reply so that the matter could be heard.

“We had said issue notice returnable….we said it in open court that we will hear this matter on October 27 and will dispose it of,” the bench said.

Raju asked the bench to give him a short date in the matter, to which Justice Kumar asked, "What about tomorrow?" 

Sibal said his client has been incarcerated for five years and urged the bench to hear the matter as soon as possible.

Senior advocate Abhishek Singhvi, representing one of the petitioners, said the whole case is about the delay in the trial, and there should not be further delay in the hearing.

The court made it clear to Raju that it is not willing to grant him two weeks to file a counter-affidavit. 

The bench pointed out, in an earlier hearing on the matter, Sibal had sought a hearing before Diwali, but the court said no.

On September 22, 2025, the Supreme Court issued notice to the Delhi police on pleas for bail filed by former JNU students Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid and others.

Khalid and others have been in jail since 2020 in connection with the riots which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

The High Court on September 2, 2025 dismissed the bail petitions.