Delhi Riots Larger Conspiracy Case : Accused Tasleem Ahmed Moves Supreme Court Seeking Bail

The Supreme Court today(February 11) issued notice in a plea filed by Delhi riots larger conspiracy accused Tasleem Ahmed, challenging the Delhi High Court's order refusing to grant him bail.

As per the special leave petition, Ahmed has challenged the September 2, 2025, order passed by the Delhi High Court, which upheld the Trial Court's order denying him third regular bail.

A bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice PB Varale issued notice to the Delhi Police. In January, the Supreme Court had granted bail to five other accused in the case, while denying bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.

The petitioner is one of the Delhi riots accused, arrested in FIR No. 59/2020 under Sections 13/16/17/18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967; Sections 302/307/353/186/212/395/ 427/435/436/452/454/109/114/147/148/124A/153A/120B of the Indian Penal Code, 1860; Sections 3/4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act, 1984 and Sections 25/27 of the Arms Act, 1959.

The petitioner had first approached the Trial Court seeking regular bail in June 2021 on grounds of parity with co-accused Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal and Asif Iqbal Tanha, who were granted bail by the Delhi High Court in 2021. Although their bail was not cancelled, the Supreme Court stated that this bail order cannot be relied upon by the co-accused as a precedent, as it dealt with the interpretation of UAPA provisions, which were disputed by the NIA.

The Trial Court denied bail to the petitioner. He then approached the Supreme Court, which vide an order dated May 2, 2023, observed that the petitioner can claim parity, and it is for the petitioner to make out a case.

Again the petitioner approached the Trial Court, but his second regular bail was dismissed on April 22, 2024. On October 28, 2024, the petitioner approached the Trial Court again on grounds that he has completed more than four years in custody and there had been no progress in Trial. When this plea was denied, he approached the Delhi High Court, which questioned the Delhi Police as to how long an accused can be kept in jail, when it has been five years since the 2020 riots.

He is also an accused in another FIR No. 48.2020, in which he is on regular bail.

Case Details: TASLEEM AHMED v STATE GOVT. OF NCT OF DELHI|Diary No. 5434-2026

Appearances: Advocate Mehmood Pracha, Advocate on Record R. H. A. Sikander, along with Advocates Jatin Bhatt, Sanawar, Kshitij Singh, Nujhat Naseem, Sikander Raza, Kumail Abbas