On January 29, a Delhi court denied bail to former Aam Aadmi Party councillor Tahir Hussain, Salim Malik, and Athar Khan in connection with the larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 anti-Hindu riots in Delhi. The decision was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Court, who stated that the allegations against the trio were found to be prima facie true, and therefore, they could not be granted relief.
The trio had sought bail, citing parity with five other accused who were granted bail by the Supreme Court on January 5. However, the judge rejected this argument, noting: “No doubt that the Hon’ble Supreme Court, vide order dated 05.01.2026, has granted bail to five co-accused, Mohd Saleem Khan, Gulfisha Fatima, Shadab Ahmad, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, and Meeran Haider, but the same order also dismissed petitions of other key conspirators, Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.”
He added that since the court had already formed an opinion that a prima facie case exists against the applicants, it could not take a different view merely based on the Supreme Court’s order regarding other co-accused.
The three accused face charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) due to their alleged involvement in the 2020 riots. Athar Khan, a former call centre employee, is accused of making provocative statements, attending secret meetings where he allegedly said “the time has come to burn Delhi,” and helping orchestrate the destruction of CCTV cameras at the Chand Bagh protest in northeast Delhi.
Salim Malik was one of eleven speakers and organisers of the anti-CAA/NRC agitation. Others included Mohammed Saleem Khan, Mohammed Jalaluddin (also known as Guddu Bhai), Shahnawaz, Furkan, Mohammed Ayub, Mohammed Yunus, Tabassum, and Mohammed Ayaz, along with his brother Khalid.
Of the twenty accused in the case, two remain at large. The remaining eighteen have sought bail, with seven still in jail, including Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Athar Khan, Salim Malik, Tahir Hussain, Tasleem Ahmed, and Khalid Saifi.
