He faces several cases linked to protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Though granted bail in some cases, he remains in jail under the UAPA (Unlawful Activities Prevention Act). The Delhi High Court earlier denied his regular bail, and his appeal is now in the Supreme Court.

Imam plans to contest as an independent candidate from Bahadurganj seat. The Bihar elections are set for two phases between November 10, 2025, and November 16, 2026. The petition highlights his desire to participate democratically despite ongoing legal challenges.

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The petitions before the Supreme Court challenge the September 2 Delhi High Court verdict that dismissed bail applications of nine accused. The Division Bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur held that the roles of the accused, including Imam and Khalid, appeared “prima facie grave.” The High Court emphasized that the case did not stem from “a regular protest” but from what it viewed as “a premeditated, well-orchestrated conspiracy.”

Along with Imam and Khalid, the High Court had denied bail to activists Gulfisha Fatima, Khalid Saifi, Athar Khan, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Meeran Haider, and Shadab Ahmed. All of them remain in custody as undertrials since 2020.

Lawyers for Imam and Khalid argue that the trial has suffered inordinate delays. They point out that several co-accused have already secured bail on grounds of parity. According to the defense, prolonged imprisonment without conclusion of the trial amounts to punishment before conviction.

The prosecution, however, maintains that the accused played key roles in the alleged conspiracy that led to the 2020 riots in Delhi, which left 53 people dead and hundreds injured. It contends that releasing them on bail could influence witnesses and disrupt the judicial process.

The Supreme Court will now hear the bail pleas of Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid on September 19. The outcome is expected to set an important precedent in how courts balance the right to protest with allegations of criminal conspiracy.

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The petitions challenge a Delhi High Court order that denied bail under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). SC to shortly hear bail pleas of Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, and Meeran Haider comes after five years of custody as undertrials.

Earlier, a Division Bench of Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur rejected bail for nine accused. The judges said the February 2020 riots were not “a regular protest” but a “well-orchestrated conspiracy.” The order stressed that violence under the guise of protest cannot be permitted.

Lawyers for the activists argue that the trial has faced long delays. They seek bail on grounds of parity with co-accused who already secured relief. Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, and Asif Iqbal Tanha were granted bail in June 2021. Former Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan was released in March 2022.

The Supreme Court’s verdict will be closely tracked. It could influence how future bail pleas under UAPA are handled.

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