New Delhi: Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan, political activist Yogendra Yadav, student leaders, and the families of the accused held a protest at Jantar Mantar on Friday, demanding bail for Umar Khalid and other jailed individuals in the 2020 Delhi riots case.
The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the hearing of the bail pleas filed by Umar Khalid and others. The matter was listed before a bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and Manmohan. The petitions had previously been listed before a bench of Justices Arvind Kumar and N V Anjaria on September 12, but the court noted that the supplementary list by which the case was scheduled reached it very late, at 2:30 a.m., leaving insufficient time to review the files.
Earlier this month, the Delhi High Court denied bail to the 10 accused booked under relevant provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and the Indian Penal Code.
Supreme Court advocate Prashant Bhushan speaking at Jantar Mantar, Sept. 20, 2025.
Speaking at the protest, Bhushan said, “Bail is the rule while jail is the exception. The delay in granting bail to the accused is unfortunate.” He criticised the judiciary’s handling of the case, stating, “I am most hurt by seeing the attitude of the judiciary. Their work is to protect our fundamental rights, democracy, and the Constitution. But in the Delhi riots case… the trial has not started even in five years. The Delhi High Court took more than a year for bail hearings.”
Yogendra Yadav added, “When the trial was against Mahatma Gandhi, it was not only against him but against the British atrocities inflicted on Indians. This ongoing trial is not just on these 10 people but against India’s criminal justice system.”
Yogendra Yadav addressing the crowd at Jantar Mantar with student leaders and families of the accused.
Protesters carried posters of the accused, including Tahir Hussain, Athar Khan, Meeran Haider, Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, and Khalid Saifi.
Shamsad Ahmad, father of the accused Shadab Ahmed, questioned the judiciary, saying, “We ask the judiciary to tell us what is the fault of our children?”
Munteha, General Secretary of JNUSU, remarked, “All people behind bars braved to walk on the path of the Constitution of India. They spoke on constitutional rights and against communal laws. These are not individual cases but an attempt to target one section of people and criminalise them.”
Meanwhile, Umar Khalid’s father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas, expressed optimism, stating, “They are still not disheartened. The courage hasn’t faded… the spirit hasn’t weakened.”