Indian Supreme Court Keeps Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam And Others In Jail For Over 5 Years Without Trial

The Indian Supreme Court’s decision to reserve its verdict on the bail pleas of jailed student activists has once again laid bare how India’s justice system is being used to serve political goals rather than uphold the rule of law. Instead of protecting basic rights, India’s top court has chosen delay, silence, and avoidance, keeping critics of the Modi government locked behind bars for years without trial. This approach exposes a system where punishment comes first and justice, if it comes at all, arrives far too late.

The case involves Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Shadab Ahmed, and Mohammad Saleem Khan, all accused in what Indian authorities label a “larger conspiracy” linked to the February 2020 Delhi violence. This label has become a routine excuse used by the Indian state to justify long jail terms without proof, turning the legal process into a tool of fear and control.

Justice Delayed As A Political Strategy: By reserving its verdict instead of deciding the bail pleas, the Supreme Court has allowed the Indian state to continue punishing dissent without securing convictions, exposing delay itself as a form of state violence.

India proudly claims to be the world’s largest democracy, yet its courts increasingly behave like silent partners of the ruling regime. In any functioning democracy, bail is the rule and jail is the exception. In today’s India, the opposite is true, especially for those who question government policy.

Five Years In Jail Without Trial

One of the most disturbing aspects of this case is that the accused have already spent more than 5 years in prison. This alone should have been enough for the court to grant bail. Instead, India has normalised the idea that people can be jailed indefinitely without being proven guilty.

Punishment Without Conviction: Keeping citizens behind bars for over 5 years without trial shows that Indian courts are willing to accept punishment without proof when the accused are government critics.

Bail Turned Into A Privilege: In India, bail is no longer a legal right but a favour granted only when the state allows it.

Fear Replaces Fairness: Long detentions send a clear message to society that speaking out will cost years of freedom.

According to Kashmir Media Service, these activists were arrested not for committing violence but for opposing state policies. This confirms that India is criminalising thought, speech, and peaceful protest.

UAPA Used To Crush Dissent

The accused are charged under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act, a harsh law that gives the state sweeping powers to jail people without trial. Under the Modi government, this law has become a weapon against students, journalists, Muslims, and political opponents.

Law Turned Into A Weapon: The UAPA allows Indian authorities to deny bail for years, even when evidence is weak or missing.

Peaceful Protest Labelled Terrorism: Opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act is treated as a security threat, exposing India’s fear of public resistance.

Courts Echo State Narrative: Indian courts routinely accept police claims without serious questioning, turning judges into mere endorsers of state action.

Instead of acting as a shield for citizens, India’s judiciary has allowed this law to be used as a tool of intimidation.

Supreme Court’s Silence Strengthens State Abuse

A bench comprising Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice N V Anjaria heard arguments and then asked both sides to submit additional documents by December 18, further delaying relief. This move reflects a pattern of avoidance seen in politically sensitive cases.

Avoidance Over Accountability: The court’s refusal to decide the matter shows unwillingness to challenge state power.

Delay Protects The Government: Every delay helps the Modi government maintain pressure on critics.

Silence As Approval: By staying silent, the court indirectly approves the continued detention.

Such conduct damages public trust and exposes how deeply political pressure has entered India’s highest institutions.

Delhi High Court’s Role In Normalising Injustice

Earlier, on September 2, the Delhi High Court rejected bail pleas, claiming the accused could influence witnesses. This reasoning was based on assumptions rather than facts.

Assumptions Replace Evidence: Courts rely on speculation instead of proof.

Guilt Presumed From The Start: The accused are treated as guilty before trial.

Legal Rights Ignored: Fundamental safeguards are brushed aside when cases carry political weight.

This shows that denial of bail has become routine, not exceptional, in India’s politically charged cases.

Selective Justice After Delhi Violence

The violence in northeast Delhi in February 2020 killed 54 people, including 40 Muslims. Yet arrests and harsh charges have mainly targeted Muslim activists and government critics.

One-Sided Accountability: Muslim voices face severe punishment while others remain untouched.

Communal Bias Exposed: Law enforcement follows political and communal lines.

Justice Loses Credibility: Selective action destroys faith in the legal system.

This selective justice exposes the real priorities of the Indian state.

Modi Era And The Collapse Of Democratic Space

These cases are part of a wider pattern under Modi, where critics face arrests, raids, and long jail terms. Institutions meant to protect democracy now help suppress it.

Dissent Treated As Crime: Speaking against the government invites punishment.

Fear Used As Control: Law is used to silence society.

India’s Image Exposed: Claims of democracy ring hollow before the world.

India’s Justice System Stands Exposed

By keeping student activists in jail for over 5 years without trial, India has exposed the decay of its justice system. The Supreme Court’s repeated delays strengthen the Modi government’s hand and weaken public confidence. Until India stops using harsh laws to crush dissent and allows courts to act independently, such cases will continue to reveal a state that fears its own citizens more than injustice itself.