NEW DELHI: The Supreme Court on Monday deferred to 31 October the hearing on the bail pleas of activists Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima and Meeran Haider in the UAPA case related to the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 Delhi riots.

A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N. V. Anjaria adjourned the matter after Additional Solicitor General S. V. Raju sought time.

Raju requested two weeks to file a reply in the case, but the top court said it would hear the matter on Friday.

“Frankly speaking, in bail matters there is no question of filing a counter,” the Bench observed.

On 22 September, the Supreme Court had issued notice to the Delhi Police and sought its response. The activists have approached the apex court challenging the Delhi High Court order passed on 2 September.

The High Court had denied bail to nine individuals, including Khalid and Imam, observing that “conspiratorial” violence under the guise of demonstrations or protests by citizens could not be permitted.

Besides Khalid and Imam, those whose bail pleas were rejected include Fatima, Haider, Mohd Saleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan, Abdul Khalid Saifi and Shadab Ahmed.

The bail plea of another accused, Tasleem Ahmed, was rejected by a different High Court Bench on 2 September.

The High Court said the Constitution affords citizens the right to protest and hold demonstrations or agitations, provided they are orderly, peaceful and without arms, and such actions must remain within the bounds of law.