Saurabh Mukherjee
A series of legal, political and diplomatic reactions followed fresh court proceedings and public statements related to jailed activist Umar Khalid and the February 2020 Delhi riots case, with Sharjeel Imam distancing himself from Khalid, All India Majlis-e-Ittehadul Muslimeen (AIMIM) leader Asaduddin Owaisi targeting the UAPA law, and the Indian government responding to comments made by a US politician.
Activist Sharjeel Imam on Thursday (January 8, 2026) submitted in a Delhi court that Umar Khalid is not his mentor and that the allegations of the police about the two having coordinated for the 2020 riots is false.
Both Imam and Khalid were denied bail this week by the Supreme Court in the case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the alleged “larger conspiracy” behind the February 2020 riots in New Delhi.
The submissions were made before Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Courts by Imam’s counsel Talib Mustafa, who stressed that his client and Khalid never had any connection with each other. He had never spoken to Khalid in the five years he spent at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Imam’s counsel said on his behalf.
“I don’t know what coordination police is talking about,” he said refuting the claim of the police that Khalid had instructed Imam.
The submissions were made during the hearing of framing of charges on North East Delhi riots-2020 larger conspiracy case in which 18 people have been made accused by the police and were booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) apart from various other charges.
The developments came amid growing political criticism of the anti-terror law.
Meanwhile, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has blamed the Congress party for amending the UAPA which led to extended jail terms for undertrials.
Addressing a gathering in Dhule, Maharashtra, Owaisi said the amendments made during the Congress-led UPA government were responsible for prolonged detentions and referred to changes introduced when P Chidambaram was the Union Home Minister. He recalled that he had earlier raised concerns in Parliament about subjective clauses within the UAPA, including Section 15, which defines terrorist acts through phrases such as actions taken “by any other means of whatever nature.” Owaisi linked this language to the bail denial for Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, both of whom have been in jail for over five years.
Asaduddin Owaisi also criticised clause 43D of the UAPA, which allows for up to 180 days of detention without a chargesheet, and claimed that the maximum period is consistently used in cases involving minorities.
The case involves several other accused, including Tahir Hussain, Khalid Saifi, Isharat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar, Sharjeel Imam, Devangana Kalita, Faizan Khan and Natasha Narwal.
On Monday (January 5), the Supreme Court granted bail to five of the accused but denied bail to Imam and Khalid, observing that their roles were “central and formative” in the violence that left more than 50 people dead.
The issue also triggered an international reaction after India criticised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over a message he sent to Umar Khalid.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Mamdani should respect the independence of the judiciary and focus on his responsibilities.
Mamdani had handed a handwritten note to Khalid’s parents last month in which he wrote, "Dear Umar, I think of your words on bitterness often and the importance of not letting it consume one's self. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you."
Responding to questions about the note, Jaiswal said, "We expect public representatives to be respectful of the independence of the judiciary in other democracies. Expressing personal prejudices does not behove those in office. Instead of such comments, it would be better to focus on the responsibilities entrusted to them."
Mamdani’s support for Khalid dates back to his time as a New York State Assembly member, when he read from Khalid’s prison diary during a 2023 protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States.
Umar Khalid has been in jail for nearly five years in connection with the February 2020 Delhi riots, in which 53 people were killed. He was granted interim bail from December 16 to 29 to attend his sister’s wedding.
Activist Sharjeel Imam on Thursday (January 8, 2026) submitted in a Delhi court that Umar Khalid is not his mentor and that the allegations of the police about the two having coordinated for the 2020 riots is false.
Both Imam and Khalid were denied bail this week by the Supreme Court in the case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the alleged “larger conspiracy” behind the February 2020 riots in New Delhi.
The submissions were made before Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Courts by Imam’s counsel Talib Mustafa, who stressed that his client and Khalid never had any connection with each other. He had never spoken to Khalid in the five years he spent at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Imam’s counsel said on his behalf.
“I don’t know what coordination police is talking about,” he said refuting the claim of the police that Khalid had instructed Imam.
The submissions were made during the hearing of framing of charges on North East Delhi riots-2020 larger conspiracy case in which 18 people have been made accused by the police and were booked under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) apart from various other charges.
The developments came amid growing political criticism of the anti-terror law.
Meanwhile, AIMIM president Asaduddin Owaisi has blamed the Congress party for amending the UAPA which led to extended jail terms for undertrials.
Addressing a gathering in Dhule, Maharashtra, Owaisi said the amendments made during the Congress-led UPA government were responsible for prolonged detentions and referred to changes introduced when P Chidambaram was the Union Home Minister. He recalled that he had earlier raised concerns in Parliament about subjective clauses within the UAPA, including Section 15, which defines terrorist acts through phrases such as actions taken “by any other means of whatever nature.” Owaisi linked this language to the bail denial for Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, both of whom have been in jail for over five years.
Asaduddin Owaisi also criticised clause 43D of the UAPA, which allows for up to 180 days of detention without a chargesheet, and claimed that the maximum period is consistently used in cases involving minorities.
The case involves several other accused, including Tahir Hussain, Khalid Saifi, Isharat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar, Sharjeel Imam, Devangana Kalita, Faizan Khan and Natasha Narwal.
On Monday (January 5), the Supreme Court granted bail to five of the accused but denied bail to Imam and Khalid, observing that their roles were “central and formative” in the violence that left more than 50 people dead.
The issue also triggered an international reaction after India criticised New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani over a message he sent to Umar Khalid.
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said Mamdani should respect the independence of the judiciary and focus on his responsibilities.
Mamdani had handed a handwritten note to Khalid’s parents last month in which he wrote, "Dear Umar, I think of your words on bitterness often and the importance of not letting it consume one's self. It was a pleasure to meet your parents. We are all thinking of you."
Responding to questions about the note, Jaiswal said, "We expect public representatives to be respectful of the independence of the judiciary in other democracies. Expressing personal prejudices does not behove those in office. Instead of such comments, it would be better to focus on the responsibilities entrusted to them."
Mamdani’s support for Khalid dates back to his time as a New York State Assembly member, when he read from Khalid’s prison diary during a 2023 protest against Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the United States.
Umar Khalid has been in jail for nearly five years in connection with the February 2020 Delhi riots, in which 53 people were killed. He was granted interim bail from December 16 to 29 to attend his sister’s wedding.
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