Delhi Riots UAPA Case Bail Pleas : Supreme Court Asks Umar Khalid, Sharjeel, Gulfisha & Others To Furnish Permanent Addresses

While adjourning the bail pleas in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, the Supreme Court today asked the counsels to submit the permanent address of all petitioners by the next date of hearing.

A bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria has been hearing petitions filed by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Meera Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd.Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed seeking bail in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. They have challenged the September 2 judgment of the Delhi High Court denying them bail. They have been under custody for over five years in a case in which they are facing serious allegations of committing offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. 

The bench was supposed to continue hearing the petitioners on rejoinder; however, due to the paucity of time, the matter was postponed. While listing the matter for next Tuesday, Justice Kumar passed a brief order stating that the petitioners' arguments on rejoinder should be restricted to 15 minutes each and the Delhi Police's reply must be restricted to half an hour. It remarked that in rejoinder, the matter should not be argued as if arguing a fresh matter. 

"Arguments have been advanced on both sides substantially and therefore we are of the considered view that in reply arguments, the time schedule requires to be fixed. Hence, we direct the learned advocates to restrict their oral arguments not exceeding 15 minutes each and the clarification by ASG should not exceed half an hour," the Court passed an order.

While Additional Solicitor General SV Raju(for Delhi Police) submitted that he may not be available on December 9, the Court said that the petitioners should complete their arguments first, and then the bench will try and accommodate his plea to December 10.

It was during this time that Justice Kumar asked Senior Advocates Siddharth Dave(for Sharjeel Imam) and Salman Khurshid (for Shifa) to convey to all counsels that they must provide the permanent address of all petitioners to the court master.

"All the petitioners, Mr Salman you also tell them, the present of each of them," Justice Kumar asked.

On this, Dave asked if the Court wants the present or permanent address because the present address is Tihar jail, he added in a lighter vein.

Justice Kumar clarified that the Court wants the permanent address of each petitioner to be given to the Court.