2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case: Umar Khalid moves HC for third time seeking bail

2 min readNew DelhiJul 30, 2026 10:59 PM IST

For the third time, student activist Umar Khalid has moved the Delhi High Court, seeking bail in the larger conspiracy case of Northeast Delhi riots in 2020. He has been booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Khalid’s appeal challenging the trial court’s July 4 decision to dismiss his bail application is listed for hearing before a bench of Justices Prathiba Singh and Vikas Mahajan on Friday.

The HC had earlier rejected his bail plea twice – in October 2022 and September 2025. Both times, the Supreme Court had upheld the HC order.

Khalid, arrested in September 2020, was booked under UAPA for being one of the “masterminds” of the riots that had left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured. Besides him, activist Sharjeel Imam, among others, was also booked in the case.

The SC, in its order on January 5, had refused bail to Khalid and Imam, but granted bail to five other co-accused while establishing the “hierarchy of participation”. In this hierarchy, Khalid and Imam were classified to be on a “higher footing” compared to the five others who were granted bail by the SC.

The trial court, while rejecting Khalid’s and Imam’s bail pleas on July 4 had observed that it “has no option but to follow” the January 5 judgment of the Supreme Court, whereby the petitions of both the applicants were dismissed. The SC had also observed no change in their circumstances to allow a fresh plea for bail, the trial court had added.

Khalid, a former JNU student leader, has been booked for offences under the Indian Penal Code, Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, Arms Act and UAPA.

Sohini Ghosh is a Senior Correspondent at The Indian Express. Previously based in Ahmedabad covering Gujarat, she recently moved to the New Delhi bureau, where she primarily covers legal developments at the Delhi High Court

Professional Profile

Background: An alumna of the Asian College of Journalism (ACJ), she previously worked with ET NOW before joining The Indian Express.

Core Beats: Her reporting is currently centered on the Delhi High Court, with a focus on high-profile constitutional disputes, disputes over intellectual property, criminal and civil cases, issues of human rights and regulatory law (especially in the areas of technology and healthcare).

Earlier Specialty: In Gujarat, she was known for her rigorous coverage in the beats of crime, law and policy, and social justice issues, including the 2002 riot cases, 2008 serial bomb blast case, 2016 flogging of Dalits in Una, among others.
She has extensively covered health in the state, including being part of the team that revealed the segregation of wards at the state’s largest government hospital on lines of faith in April 2020.
With Ahmedabad being a UNESCO heritage city, she has widely covered urban development and heritage issues, including the redevelopment of the Sabarmati Ashram

Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025)
Her recent reporting from the Delhi High Court covers major political, constitutional, corporate, and public-interest legal battles:

High-Profile Case Coverage

She has extensively covered the various legal battles – including for compensation under the aegis of North East Delhi Riots Claims Commission – pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, as well as 1984 anti-Sikh riots.
She has also led coverage at the intersection of technology and governance, and its impact on the citizenry, from, and beyond courtrooms — such as the government’s stakeholder consultations for framing AI-Deepfake policy.

Signature Style

Sohini is recognized for her sustained reporting from courtrooms and beyond. She specialises in breaking down dense legal arguments to make legalese accessible for readers. Her transition from Gujarat to Delhi has seen her expand her coverage on regulatory, corporate and intellectual property law, while maintaining a strong commitment to human rights and lacuna in the criminal justice system.

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