Activists Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid Challenge Terrorism Labels in Supreme Court Bail Hearing for Delhi Riots Case

Dec 03, 2025 02:17 am CST

In a significant Supreme Court hearing, activists Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, and Gulfisha Fatima sought bail in the 2020 Delhi riots case, challenging their labeling as "terrorists" without conviction. Imprisoned since early 2020 under the stringent UAPA, they argue their speeches don't constitute criminal conspiracy and question the extended pre-trial detention, highlighting the disconnect between police allegations and actual evidence in the chargesheet. The violence, which left 53 dead, occurred during protests against citizenship laws.