Overview
- A bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N. V. Anjaria reserved judgment on December 10 after extensive arguments from both sides.
- The pleas by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed challenge the Delhi High Court’s September 2 denial of bail under the UAPA.
- Delhi Police opposed release, describing the violence as an orchestrated, pre-planned conspiracy and citing speeches, WhatsApp chats, video clips and a claimed “regime-change operation.”
- Defence teams argued the case relies largely on speech and protest activity, highlighted custody exceeding four to five years for some, and noted the trial remains at the stage of arguments on charge.
- During hearings, the bench questioned how Section 15’s “terrorist act” definition applies to the material cited, signaling a potential precedent for protest-related UAPA bail matters.