The Supreme Court today (September 19) adjourned till Monday (September 21) the hearing of bail petitions filed by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima and Shifa-Ur-Rehman in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case.

 

The pleas came up before a bench of Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice Manmohan. Earlier on September 12, the matter was listed before Justices Kumar and NV Anjaria but was deferred, as the bench expressed difficulty in taking up supplementary matters since the files were received only at 2:30 AM.

 

The petitioners challenge the Delhi High Court judgment dated September 2, 2025, which dismissed their bail applications. A division bench of Justice Naveen Chawla and Justice Shalinder Kaur had upheld their continued custody in FIR 59/2020 lodged by the Delhi Police Special Cell.

 

The petitioners—student activists who spearheaded anti-CAA protests in 2019–2020—are charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and IPC provisions for allegedly being part of the “larger conspiracy” behind the February 2020 communal violence in Delhi.

 

Other accused in the case include Tahir Hussain, Khalid Saifi, Ishrat Jahan, Asif Iqbal Tanha (granted bail in 2021), Safoora Zargar (released on humanitarian grounds), Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal (both on bail), among others. The September 2 ruling denied bail to Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Athar Khan, Khalid Saifi, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shadab Ahmed. The petitioners remain in custody for over five years.