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Supreme Court rejects Umar Khalid's bail review plea (Img: Internet)
New Delhi: The Supreme Court of India on Monday rejected a review petition filed by Umar Khalid, refusing to reconsider its earlier order denying him bail in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.
A bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria said there were no valid grounds to review the previous judgment. The court also declined a request for an oral hearing of the petition, maintaining that the matter did not warrant further consideration.
Khalid had approached the court seeking a review after his bail plea was earlier rejected. In that decision, the court had observed that there were reasonable grounds to believe the allegations against him in connection with the alleged conspiracy behind the 2020 violence.
Based on this assessment, the court had denied bail, citing the seriousness of the charges and the material presented by the prosecution.
In earlier proceedings, the apex court had also rejected the bail plea of another accused, Sharjeel Imam. At the same time, bail was granted to five other individuals, with the court noting that all accused do not stand on equal footing.
The bench had clarified that both Khalid and Imam, who have been in custody since 2020, may file fresh bail applications after the examination of protected witnesses or after a specified period.
The court had earlier stated that a prima facie case exists against Khalid under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. It observed that the prosecution’s material pointed to alleged involvement in planning and coordinating activities linked to the unrest.
These observations formed the basis for denying bail and were reaffirmed while dismissing the review petition.
Under Supreme Court rules, a review petition is examined by the same bench that delivered the original verdict. Such petitions are typically decided in chambers and are meant to address apparent errors or prevent miscarriage of justice.
The court’s latest order brings finality, for now, to Khalid’s attempt to secure relief through a review of the earlier decision.
