In Focus

The Forum’s seventh Annual Report documents a rekindled militancy following the Red Fort attack, a rise in the profiling and harassment of Kashmiri Muslims, the routine invocation of UAPA and PSA against civilians, and continued stagnation on statehood, alongside a special section on Ladakh and Pakistan-held Kashmir.

In its over 140 page judgment, summarised here, the Court distinguished two sets of reliefs based on the alleged roles assigned to each of the seven individuals in the 2020 Delhi riots.

How the Supreme Court’s differential approach to bail for Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam undermines binding precedent on bail and personal liberty

In both the Bhima Koregaon and Delhi riots cases, a wrongful invoking of UAPA and obdurate refusal to follow precedent on delay in trial, raise legitimate questions on the independence of the judiciary.

The Court noted that the material placed on record disclosed prima facie allegations of a central and directive role against Khalid and Imam.

Justice Aravind Kumar questioned how a mere speech would fall under the definition of a “terrorist act” as defined under the UAPA.

With all defence submissions now complete, the Court will hear ASG Raju’s reply on Wednesday.

With Prof. Babu being granted bail, twelve persons arrested in the Bhima Koregaon case are now out on bail.