The Supreme Court has dismissed a review petition filed by activist Umar Khalid challenging a previous verdict that denied him bail in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. The Court maintained that there remain “reasonable grounds” to believe the allegations against him regarding his involvement in the communal violence that swept Northeast Delhi four years ago.
In an order dated April 16, a bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria also turned down Khalid’s request for an open-court oral hearing, opting instead to decide the matter in chambers as per standard procedure for review petitions.
The bench concluded that the arguments presented in the review petition did not warrant a reversal of the apex court’s earlier stance.
“Having gone through the review petition and also the documents enclosed, we do not find any good ground and reason to review the judgment dated January 5, 2026. Accordingly, the review petition is dismissed,” the bench stated in its order.
Under Supreme Court rules, a review is typically intended to remedy “apparent errors” or “grave injustice” resulting from a prior decision. In this instance, the bench found no such error in the January 5 verdict, which had originally denied bail to Khalid and co-accused Sharjeel Imam.
The case stems from the February 2020 communal riots in Northeast Delhi, which erupted during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The violence resulted in 53 deaths and left more than 700 people injured.
The Delhi Police subsequently arrested 18 individuals under various charges, including the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), alleging a larger conspiracy to incite the riots.
The Supreme Court’s January 5 ruling was notable for its differentiation between the various accused. While the court refused bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, it granted bail to five other individuals. The bench at the time clarified that all the accused did not “stand on the same footing” regarding the evidence and allegations levelled against them.
To date, out of the 18 people arrested by the Delhi Police in connection with the conspiracy case, 11 have been granted bail by various courts, while others, including Khalid, remain in custody.
