New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Wednesday refused to grant bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in a larger conspiracy case connected to the February 2020 riots in north-east Delhi.
This is the third time Khalid and Imam have been denied bail by the High Court. A bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Dinesh Bhatt heard the bail plea.
Also read | India’s film body warns against proposed Umar Khalid documentary screening at IIIT-Hyderabad
On September 13, Khalid completed six years in prison without bail. Imam was arrested on August 25, 2020. The Delhi Police opposed the pleas in the High Court, stating that the two are the "masterminds" of the riots.
On January 5, the Supreme Court had denied bail to Khalid and Imam while granting bail to co-accused Gulfisha Fatima, Meera Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohammed Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed.
The High Court bench said it cannot modify the apex court's order asking the two accused to seek bail either on completion of protected witnesses' examination or expiry of one year from passing the order, whichever is earlier.
Khalid and Imam were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on allegations of being one of the masterminds of the riots that led to 53 deaths and caused injuries to more than 700.
The violence erupted during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), 2019, and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Activist Khalid Saifi and former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, among others, were also booked for their alleged involvement in the larger conspiracy case, which was investigated by Delhi Police's Special Cell.
They had moved the High Court earlier this year after their bail applications were dismissed by the trial court for the third time on July 4.