Sharjeel Imam’s uncle on Monday said he was shocked by the Supreme Court’s decision to deny bail to his nephew in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, but added that he respected the verdict and remained hopeful of eventual relief.
The Supreme Court refused to grant bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, while allowing bail to five other accused in the case. The court cited a “hierarchy of participation” and observed that all the accused did not stand on the same footing.
Reacting to the ruling, Sharjeel’s uncle Arshad Imam told reporters, "I am very shocked to learn about the judgment. I had high hopes that the court would grant bail this time, as every point during the arguments indicated that Sharjeel is innocent. Still, as an Indian, I respect the verdict of the court." He, however, said he remained optimistic that his nephew would ultimately be released on bail.
"I am hopeful that my nephew is innocent and he will definitely get bail, no matter how much delay there is. I will read the judgment, discuss it in detail with my lawyer and then start the process again," he said.
When asked why bail was granted to some accused but not to Khalid and Imam, Arshad Imam said, "Only the court knows why bail was not granted to two applicants. However, it is the duty of every Indian citizen to respect the court’s decision, whether it is in their favour or not."
All the accused in the case were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various provisions of the Indian Penal Code in connection with the February 2020 communal violence in northeast Delhi, in which 53 people were killed and over 700 injured.
Sharjeel Imam was arrested on January 28, 2020, for speeches made during anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests and was later taken into custody in the larger conspiracy case in August 2020. Umar Khalid was arrested on September 13, 2020.
