This Is My Life Now: Umar Khalid After Supreme Court Bail Denial

After spending more than five years behind bars, activist and former JNU student Umar Khalid responded to the Supreme Court's rejection of his bail plea in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case with quiet resignation, telling his partner, "Good, good, come. This is my life now."

In a phone conversation following Monday's verdict, Khalid expressed genuine happiness for the five co-accused who were granted bail, saying, "I am really happy for the others who got bail! So relieved."

His partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, shared the emotional exchange on X, recounting how she informed him she would visit him at Tihar Jail the next day for their scheduled meeting (mulaqat).

"Good, good, aa jaana. Ab yahi zindagi hai," Khalid replied in Hindi, translating to "Come tomorrow. This is my life now."

The bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria denied bail to Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, finding prima facie evidence of their leadership in the alleged conspiracy under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). In contrast, it granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad, noting their involvement was at a "different level."

Khalid was arrested in September 2020, while Imam has been in custody since January 2020—before the riots erupted in Northeast Delhi amid anti-CAA protests, claiming over 50 lives.

Despite the setback, Khalid's focus on the relief of his co-accused and his composed response have drawn attention to the human cost of prolonged pre-trial detention in UAPA cases, amid ongoing criticism from international lawmakers and human rights groups.

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