Delhi riots 2020: High Court grants bail to Salim Malik in UAPA case

New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Thursday granted bail to Salim Mailk in the case filed under the anti-terrorism act (UAPA) related to the “larger conspiracy” behind the February 2020 riots in the northeastern parts of the city.

The relief was granted by a bench of Justices Prathiba M Singh and Madhu Jain challenging the January 29 court order denying bail to Malik in the case.

His lawyer argued that he was entitled to bail as the Supreme Court had granted compensation to co-accused Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed in the same position.

Also Read: SC grants bail to UAPA narco-terror suspect: bail is the rule and imprisonment is an exception even in UAPA cases

Malik was arrested under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for being one of the “masterminds” of the February 2020 riots that left 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

The violence broke out during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) 2019 and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Salim, who was arrested in June 2020, is among the 11 alleged organizers and speakers of an anti-CAA/anti-NRC meeting.Also Read: 2020 Delhi riots: Court rejects Umar Khalid’s bail plea to take care of sick mother

On January 5, the Supreme Court granted bail to five accused – Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohammad Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmad – in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case.

However, the top court rejected the compensation given to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, saying that not all the accused in the case had the same footing.

On September 2, 2025, a bench comprising Justices Navin Chawla and Shalinder Kaur had refused bail to Imam, Khalid, Haider and other accused in the case.