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Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam move SC against Delhi HC order denying bail

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Jailed student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam have separately moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court’s judgment rejecting their fresh bail pleas in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case.

As per details available on the apex court’s official website, Khalid’s petition has been registered as Diary No. 70020/2026, while Imam’s plea has been registered as Diary No. 70106/2026.

Both Special Leave Petitions (SLPs) were filed on November 4 and are currently shown as “Cases under Defect List valid for 90 Days”.

Khalid has filed his petition through advocate N. Sai Vinod, while Imam’s plea has been filed through advocate Fauzia Shakil.

The petitions challenge a common judgment delivered on September 30 by a Division Bench of the Delhi High Court comprising Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Dinesh Bhatt, which had rejected their appeals against the trial court’s July 4, 2026, orders refusing them regular bail.

The High Court had held that it could not modify the specific conditions imposed by the Supreme Court while rejecting their earlier bail pleas in January 2026.

The apex court, while declining bail to Khalid and Imam in its January 5 judgment, had granted them liberty to renew their applications either after the examination of the protected witnesses relied upon by the prosecution or upon the expiry of one year from the date of the order, whichever was earlier.

However, the two activists had approached the trial court in June 2026, citing subsequent developments, including the Supreme Court’s observations in another UAPA case concerning prolonged incarceration and delay in trial, the grant of interim bail to co-accused Tasleem Ahmed and Khalid Saifi, and the further period of incarceration undergone by them.

The trial court had rejected their applications, following which they approached the Delhi High Court. Before the High Court, the duo had argued that the trial was unlikely to conclude anytime soon and that continued incarceration without substantial progress in the proceedings warranted reconsideration of their bail pleas.

However, the High Court held that the specific liberty granted by the Supreme Court could not be expanded or modified by a subordinate court.

The Delhi High Court observed that the Supreme Court had drawn a clear distinction between the alleged roles of Khalid and Imam and those of the co-accused who had been granted bail.

It also held that the cases of Tasleem Ahmed and Khalid Saifi could not be treated at par with those of Khalid and Imam, whose alleged roles had been categorised as those of “masterminds” and “core conspirators” in the apex court’s earlier judgment.

It further observed that no submission had been made that the prosecution had deliberately delayed the trial, adding that the delay, if any, was attributable to proceedings initiated by a co-accused and circumstances beyond the control of the parties.

The case relates to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the communal violence that broke out in northeast Delhi in February 2020, in which 53 people were killed and several others injured.

Khalid and Imam are among several persons booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other penal provisions in connection with the case and have remained in custody for several years.

Earlier, on January 5, 2026, the Supreme Court had granted bail to five co-accused — Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed — while declining relief to Khalid and Imam.

More recently, the apex court granted six months’ interim bail to co-accused Tasleem Ahmed and Khalid Saifi while referring to a larger Bench the question of whether prolonged incarceration and delay in trial could justify the grant of bail despite the restrictions under Section 43D(5) of the UAPA.

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Lawrence Bishnoi gang member Hari Boxer detained in US; process to bring him to India underway

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Jaipur : In a major breakthrough in Rajasthan Police’s ongoing crackdown on organised crime and criminal gangs, notorious gangster Harichand Jat alias ‘Hari Boxer’, an active member of the Lawrence Bishnoi gang and a wanted fugitive, has been detained in the United States. The operation was carried out under the directions of Director General of Police (DGP) Rajiv Kumar Sharma as part of the state police’s sustained campaign against organised criminal networks. The Rajasthan Anti-Gangster Task Force (AGTF), working under the guidance of Additional Director General of Police (ADGP) Dinesh M.N., played a key role in securing the detention. A special team operating under the supervision of Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS) Deputy Inspector General of Police and Interpol Liaison Officer Yogesh Yadav gathered crucial intelligence and coordinated efforts to trace the fugitive.

As part of the international operation, Rajasthan Police facilitated the issuance of a Red Corner Notice against Hari Boxer. It also sent 14 separate references to Interpol across five countries to track his whereabouts and secure action against him. To strengthen the case for his detention, the police submitted a provisional arrest request, an updated and comprehensive dossier containing details of the accused, and his fingerprints to the concerned authorities. Hari Boxer has deep roots in Rajasthan. His birth, upbringing and early journey into the world of crime are all closely linked to the state. His real name is Harichand Jat, and he originally hails from the Bansur area of Rajasthan’s Kotputli-Behror district. His father Girdhari Jat is an ordinary farmer from the region.

Before entering the world of crime, Harichand reportedly led an ordinary life in his village and aspired to serve the country or the state. A look into Hari Boxer’s background reveals that Harichand Jat initially aspired to join the Indian Army or Rajasthan Police. While preparing for competitive examinations, he moved to Jaipur, the state capital. During his stay in Jaipur, he underwent professional boxing training and later started coaching young people in the sport. His association with the boxing ring in Jaipur and his subsequent work as a boxing coach earned him the nickname ‘Hari Boxer’. The name gradually became popular among his friends and on social media before gaining recognition in criminal circles as well. The process to bring Hari Boxer back to India is now underway. His detention marks a significant achievement for Rajasthan Police in its efforts to dismantle organised criminal networks and pursue gangsters operating beyond India’s borders.

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Nitin Nabin’s remarks on Rahul Gandhi, Akhilesh Yadav trigger political slugfest; BJP, Oppn trade charges

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New Delhi : Political leaders from the BJP, Congress, Samajwadi Party and other parties on Saturday exchanged sharp reactions to remarks made by BJP National President Nitin Nabin during an exclusive interview with Media, in which he targeted Congress leader Rahul Gandhi and Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav over family-centric politics, alleged attempts to create unrest and their political approach. Backing Nabin, BJP spokesperson RP Singh said the party president is absolutely right in describing Rahul Gandhi and Akhilesh Yadav as leaders whose concerns were limited to their respective families. He alleged that neither leader thought beyond family interests. West Bengal Minister Tapas Roy also endorsed Nabin’s remarks, shifting the focus to development and governance in the state.

Criticising successive Communist and Trinamool Congress governments, Roy alleged that little had been done over the past 50 years to generate employment or establish adequate industrial and infrastructure facilities. He said the Centre is now working with a welfare-oriented approach. However, Congress MP Balwant Wankhade rejected Nabin’s criticism of Rahul Gandhi and the Gandhi family. Speaking in Amravati, Maharashtra, Wankhade said the family had always prioritised the country over personal interests. Citing former Prime Ministers Indira Gandhi and Rajiv Gandhi, he said they had sacrificed their lives for the nation and maintained that Rahul Gandhi is continuing to fight for the country’s interests.

Samajwadi Party MP Ramashankar Rajbhar also hit back at Nabin over his remarks concerning Sanatan and the politics surrounding the ‘topi’. He alleged that the BJP was unsettled by Akhilesh Yadav’s PDA (Pichde, Dalit, Alpsankhyak) politics, religious practices and the temple being constructed in Etawah. Meanwhile, SBSP MLA Bedi Ram welcomed Nabin’s observations, particularly on development, and thanked him for highlighting infrastructure expansion. Pointing to road construction, expressways, connectivity and rural roads, he said good infrastructure was essential for a state’s and country’s progress. Nabin’s remarks also targeted the Rajiv Gandhi Foundation over its foreign funding, accused Rahul Gandhi of being used as a ‘foreign toolkit’ to create unrest, and questioned the Congress leader’s approach towards democratic institutions and parliamentary traditions.

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‘Prepare for your next life’: Rajbhar mocks Akhilesh Yadav, says he won’t become CM in this life

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Lucknow : Uttar Pradesh Cabinet Minister and Suheldev Bharatiya Samaj Party (SBSP) chief, Om Prakash Rajbhar, on Saturday took a swipe at Samajwadi Party President Akhilesh Yadav over his claim that his party would return to power in Uttar Pradesh and he would become the Chief Minister again. Reacting to Akhilesh Yadav’s assertion, Rajbhar said that the Samajwadi Party chief should prepare for his next life if he wished to become Chief Minister, as he would not get the opportunity in his present life. “Prepare for your next life. You will not become the Chief Minister in this life,” Rajbhar told Media, taking a dig at the former Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. The remarks came after Akhilesh Yadav expressed confidence that the Samajwadi Party would return to power in the 2027 Uttar Pradesh Assembly elections and that he would once again become the Chief Minister.

Earlier, addressing a gathering in Varanasi, Akhilesh Yadav had indicated that he would not contest the 2027 Assembly elections himself. Instead, he said that he would take the oath as Chief Minister directly from his position as a Lok Sabha member if the Samajwadi Party formed the government. The SP chief also made several promises for Varanasi, including bringing a Metro rail project to the holy city if his party returned to power. He further assured that the Varuna river would be cleaned and that farmers would receive adequate compensation under his government. Rajbhar also commented on the growing scale of the Deepotsav celebrations in Ayodhya, saying that the festival was attracting increasing public participation and gaining popularity with every passing year.

“The Deepotsav programme is gaining popularity day by day, and people’s attraction towards it is increasing. This is why it is being celebrated on a much larger scale than last year,” he said. The minister also reacted to the Election Commission’s decision to provide another opportunity to people whose names have been left out of the voter lists during the Special Intensive Revision (SIR) exercise in seven states, including Delhi. Defending the Election Commission’s repeated efforts to ensure that eligible voters are included in the electoral rolls, Rajbhar said the poll body did not want anyone’s name to be excluded from the voter list. “The Election Commission does not want anyone’s name to be left out of the voter list. That is why it is repeatedly publishing the lists and asking people to fill in the required forms or approach the authorities for assistance. If people are not taking the process seriously, what can the Election Commission do?” he said.

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