Overview
- On January 5, the Supreme Court refused bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots 'larger conspiracy' case, citing the gravity of alleged offences and their purported central roles.
- The bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N. V. Anjaria said the two stood on a qualitatively different footing from other accused and that delay alone could not justify bail under the UAPA.
- In the same order, the court granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad.
- Responding this week, AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi faulted Congress-era amendments, targeting Section 15(a)'s broad language and Clause 43D's 180-day detention provision.
- Owaisi argued those provisions underpin prolonged incarceration for minorities and noted Khalid and Imam have been jailed for roughly five and a half years without trial.