The Delhi High Court will hear afresh the bail pleas of Sharjeel Imam and other persons accused following the elevation of Justice Siddharth Mridul as the chief justice of the Manipur High Court.
Earlier, the special bench comprising Justices Mridul and Rajnish Bhatnagar was hearing the bail pleas. This bench had reserved an order in three bail pleas. However, the bail plea of Umar Khalid was dismissed in October 2022.
Now, the Division Bench comprising Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Shailendra Kaur will hear the bail pleas of the accused persons on January 15, 2024.
The bench was informed that the appeals against the denial of bail by the trial court would have to be heard afresh following the elevation of Justice Mridul.
The division bench has listed the appeal of Sharjeel Imam on January 15, Gulfisha Fatima on January 18, Abdul Khalid Saifi on January 23, Meeran Haider on January 24, and Shadab Ahmed on January 30. The appeal of Athar has been listed for hearing on February 1, 2024.
However, the appeal of Delhi police against the grant of bail to Ishrat Jahan was listed on January 29.
This case pertains to an alleged larger conspiracy of the Delhi riots of February 2020 and is being probed by the Special Cell of Delhi police.
One main charge sheet and supplementary charge sheets have been filed against the accused persons.
An FIR was lodged under stringent anti-terror law UAPA and Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Tahir Hussain, Devangna Kalita, Natasha Narval, Gulfisha Fatima, Tasleem Khan, Abdul Khalid Saifi, Sifa ur Rehman, Safoora Zargar, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Meran Haider, Faizan Khan, Shadab Khan, Athar Khan, Salim Khan, Salim Malik, Ishrat Jahan are being charge sheeted by Delhi Police.
(with inputs from ANI)
