Overview
- The bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N. V. Anjaria heard consolidated bail pleas by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider and Shifa‑ur‑Rehman, with arguments to resume on November 6.
- Delhi Police, in an affidavit, alleges a pre-planned, pan-India conspiracy timed to the US president’s visit to draw international attention, describing the protests as organised operations and citing technical, documentary and ocular evidence.
- Counsel for Shifa‑ur‑Rehman argued he was cherry‑picked, that no UAPA offence is made out, and sought parity with co‑accused granted bail in 2021, noting he previously received interim bail in November 2023 and November 2024.
- Defence submissions said Khalid was not in Delhi and is named in only one FIR, Imam’s speeches advocated peaceful ‘chakka jams,’ Fatima merely set up protest sites where no violence occurred, and Haider has spent over five years in custody as the probe continues.
- Lawyers for the accused highlighted delays from continuing investigations and cited court records of 97 acquittals in 116 concluded riot cases and judicial remarks on fabricated evidence, while the broader case stems from riots that killed 53 and injured over 700.