The Supreme Court’s recent verdict in the Delhi riots-related so-called “larger conspiracy” case has sparked sharp reactions across political and social circles. The Central Committee of the Communist Party of India (Marxist-Leninist) Liberation welcomed the granting of bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohammad Salim Khan, and Shadab Ahmed, while strongly criticizing the denial of bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, describing it as “extremely shocking and against the fundamental principles of justice.”
In a statement issued by the party, it was emphasized that failing to provide relief to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who have been in jail for over five years without trial, constitutes a blatant violation of the civil liberties and right to justice guaranteed under the Indian Constitution. According to the CPI (M-L), the Supreme Court rejected their bail on the grounds that a prima facie case exists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), while allowing them the “permission” to reapply for bail after one year or following the testimony of protected witnesses.
The statement accused the verdict of going beyond mocking justice and effectively confirming the deliberate suppression of dissenting voices by the state. The party said that in cases where young activists and scholars were jailed on fabricated charges by the Delhi Police, there was an expectation that the Supreme Court would safeguard civil liberties—but the judiciary failed to meet this test.
CPI (M-L) drew parallels between this verdict and the notorious ADM Jabalpur case during the Emergency, claiming that, just like then, the judiciary has surrendered before power instead of protecting citizens’ rights. The statement further asserted that with this order, the Supreme Court has placed itself in the dock.
The party appealed to India’s democratic citizens to raise their voices against this decision, resist the erosion of democratic institutions, and intensify the struggle to restore constitutional values across the country.
