- By Nidhi Giri
- Tue, 06 Jan 2026 07:52 PM (IST)
- Source:JND
The Supreme Court rejected bail pleas of JNU student Umar Khalid and another accused Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots case, noting that a prima facie case exists against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Reacting to the top court’s decision, Umar Khalid, through his partner Banojyotsna Lahiri, said he felt happy and relieved for those who were granted bail, adding that "jail is now his life". The remarks have sparked widespread discussion on social media, with Lahiri trending across platforms.
Who Is Banojyotsna Lahiri
Banojyotsana Lahiri is a social researcher and an author. She currently works as a senior researcher at the Centre for Equity Studies. According to her LinkedIn profile, she also serves as a guest lecturer at universities in Delhi. She holds a PhD from Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
Lahiri took to X, to share her conversation with Khalid where the accused told her that he was happy for others. When Lahiri said she would go to meet him the next day, Khalid replied,
She wrote: "I am really happy for the others, who got bail! So relieved, Umar said. "Good, good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai."
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The apex court granted bail to other accused, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad in the case.
The riots that took place in February 2020 left over 53 people dead and more than 700 injured. While refusing to grant bail, the Court strongly observed that a delay in trial does not operate as a "trump card" which automatically displaces statutory safeguards.
The top court cited serious charges against them and noted that all the applicants could not stand on equal footing. The court also emphasised that the Delhi Police had provided sufficient material that indicates the involvement of Khalid and Imam in the conspiracy.
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The bench said, "There are reasonable grounds to believe that the allegations against Khalid are prima facie true." For this, the bench cited the prosecution's evidence, which included the timeline of meetings, the alleged formulation and dissemination of the Chakka Jam strategy, and the work of coordination committees and groups.