SC To Revisit Order Denying Bail To Umar Khalid, Refers Matter To Larger Bench
SC To Revisit Order Denying Bail To Umar Khalid, Refers Matter To Larger Bench Published By, Last Updated: May 22, 2026, 16:12 IST Earlier in
SC To Revisit Order Denying Bail To Umar Khalid, Refers Matter To Larger Bench Published By, Last Updated: May 22, 2026, 16:12 IST Earlier in the day, the Delhi High Court granted Khalid three-day interim bail to visit his ailing mother. File photo of Umar Khalid (Image: PTI) The Supreme Court on Friday decided to revisit the legal principles governing bail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), particularly in connection with jailed activist Umar Khalid, who is an accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case. The matter has now been referred to a larger bench due to differing judicial views on bail standards under the anti-terror law. SC Refers Khalid’s Bail Matter To Larger Bench The decision came from a bench comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale while hearing pleas linked to the riots conspiracy case.
The court also granted six months’ interim bail to two other accused, Tasleem Ahmed and Khalid Saifi, subject to several conditions. The move follows growing debate over conflicting court observations regarding bail under the UAPA. Earlier this week, a Delhi court had rejected interim bail for Khalid, who sought temporary release for two weeks. However, in a separate matter heard a day before, a Supreme Court bench of Justices B V Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan remarked that under the UAPA, “bail is the rule and jail is the exception". The bench had also expressed doubts over an earlier Supreme Court ruling that denied bail to Khalid and co-accused Sharjeel Imam. It referred to the 2021 Union of India vs KA Najeeb judgment, which recognised the power of constitutional courts to grant bail in cases involving prolonged incarceration despite strict provisions under the UAPA.
Delhi HC Grants Khalid Interim Bail To Meet Ailing Mother Separately, the Delhi High Court granted Khalid three days’ interim bail on Friday, allowing the former JNU student to visit his mother, who is undergoing surgery. Khalid has remained in Tihar Jail since September 2020, while the trial in the riots conspiracy case has seen limited progress. Umar Khalid has repeatedly failed to secure regular bail. While courts cited UAPA restrictions and serious allegations against him, he received temporary bail on limited occasions for family emergencies. In January this year, the Supreme Court again denied regular bail but allowed him to revive his plea after a year. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: May 22, 2026, 16:12 IST News india SC To Revisit Order Denying Bail To Umar Khalid, Refers Matter To Larger Bench Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s.
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