Supreme Court denies bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam in Delhi riots ‘larger conspiracy’ case
New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Monday refused to grant bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, observing that a prima facie case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) is made out against them.
A bench of the apex court said it was satisfied that the prosecution material establishes a prima facie case and that statutory restrictions under UAPA apply. “Granting bail at this stage of the proceedings would not be appropriate,” the court noted, adding that it had deliberately refrained from adopting a collective or integrated approach while examining the case.
Khalid, Imam and several others have been charged under UAPA and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being “masterminds” of the February 2020 Delhi riots, which claimed 53 lives and left over 700 people injured. The violence erupted during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Sharjeel Imam was arrested on August 25, 2020. While challenging the trial court’s refusal to grant bail, the accused cited prolonged incarceration and sought parity with certain co-accused who had been granted bail earlier. Their bail pleas have been pending before the Delhi High Court since 2022 and were heard intermittently by different benches.
The Supreme Court’s decision comes after the Delhi High Court had earlier denied bail to Khalid and Imam in the same case.
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Sonam Wangchuk taken to AIIMS Jodhpur after complaining of stomach pain
Jodhpur (PTI): Activist and scientist Sonam Wangchuk, who has been lodged in the Jodhpur Central Jail since September 27, 2025, was taken to AIIMS Jodhpur for medical examination early Saturday morning, officials said.
He spent approximately an hour and a half in the hospital's gastroenterology department before being escorted back to prison.
According to AIIMS sources, Wangchuk has been having stomach-related issues and visited the hospital on Friday as well for tests.
The Supreme Court, which is currently hearing a petition filed by his wife, has requested Wangchuk's medical report by February 2.
Following the Supreme Court's orders, police transported Wangchuk from Jodhpur Central Jail to the emergency department of AIIMS Hospital on Saturday morning, a police official said.
Wangchuk has been voicing concerns about his declining health in jail for some time now. Recognising his worsening condition, the Supreme Court ordered the Jodhpur jail administration on Thursday to arrange for him to be examined by a specialist.
During the Thursday hearing, a bench comprising Justice Arvind Kumar and Justice P B Varale directed jail authorities to ensure that Wangchuk receives an examination by a specialist doctor (a gastroenterologist) at a government hospital.
During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General for the Rajasthan government, K M Nataraj, reported that jail doctors had examined Wangchuk 21 times over the past four months, with the most recent check-up occurring on January 26.
Objecting to this submission, Wangchuk's counsel Kapil Sibal claimed that he was suffering from persistent stomach pain due to the water quality in jail.
Accepting Sibal's argument, the court said that medical treatment with a specialist must be provided in accordance with the patient's needs.
