Activist Sharjeel Imam on Thursday (January 8, 2026) submitted in a Delhi court that Umar Khalid is not his mentor and that the allegations of the police about the two having coordinated for the 2020 riots is false.
Both Mr. Imam and Mr. Khalid were denied bail this week by the Supreme Court in the case registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the alleged “larger conspiracy” behind the February 2020 riots in New Delhi.
‘Ab yahi zindagi hai’, says Umar Khalid after Supreme Court denies bail
The submissions were made before Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Courts by Mr. Imam’s counsel Talib Mustafa, who stressed that his client and Mr. Khalid never had any connection with each other.
He had never spoken to Mr. Khalid in the five years he spent at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), Mr. Imam’s counsel said on his behalf.
