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'This is life now...’ what did Umar Khalid say after the Supreme Court rejected his bail plea?
Umar Khalid, accused in the Delhi riots, was denied bail by the Supreme Court. His partner, Banjyotsna Lahiri, said that Khalid said, "Now jail is my life ... read more
After the Supreme Court denied bail to Umar Khalid, an accused in the Delhi riots, he said that jail is his life now. His partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri , said that they are happy and relieved for the co-accused who have been granted bail, adding that jail is their life now.
Sharing Khalid's reaction to the incident, Lahiri quoted him as saying, "I'm very happy for the others who have been granted bail. I'm so relieved." When Banjyotsna told Umar Khalid that she would come to meet him the next day, Khalid replied, "Okay, okay, come. That's life now."
"I am really happy for the others, who got bail! So relieved", Umar said.
— banojyotsna ... (@banojyotsna) January 5, 2026
"I'll come tomorrow for Mulaqat", I replied.
"Good good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai".#UmarKhalid
Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam denied bail
The Supreme Court denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the case of the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. The court stated that a prima facie case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was made out against them. It also granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa ur Rehman, Mohammad Salim Khan, and Shadab Ahmed.
The Supreme Court also said that delay in trial cannot be used as a trump card to automatically eliminate legal safeguards under stringent laws like UAPA.
Delhi riots in 2020
The violence that erupted in northeast Delhi in February 2020 during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act claimed 53 lives and injured over 700. All seven accused were charged under various sections of the UAPA and the Indian Penal Code, with the prosecution alleging they were the masterminds behind the riots.
