'Ab Yahi Zindagi Hai': What Umar Khalid Told His Partner After Supreme Court Denied Bail

After the Supreme Court denied bail to activist Umar Khalid on Monday, a short and deeply personal exchange between him and his partner, Banojyotsna Lahiri, came into public view. Shared on social media, Khalid's words showed not anger or despair, but relief for others and a calm acceptance of his continued time in jail. The brief conversation has since drawn wide attention for its emotional weight.

What Umar Khalid told his partner

Following the Supreme Court's decision, Banojyotsna Lahiri posted about a private conversation she had with Umar Khalid. In her post on X, she quoted Khalid saying he was genuinely happy that some of the other accused in the Delhi riots case had been granted bail.

“I am really happy for the others who got bail, so relieved,” Khalid told her, according to the post.

Lahiri replied that she would come to meet him the next day for a mulaqat, or prison visit. Khalid responded simply and quietly:“Good, good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai.”

The words, meaning“Come, come. This is life now,” suggested acceptance rather than protest, and reflected the emotional reality of his long imprisonment.

"I am really happy for the others, who got bail! So relieved", Umar said. "I'll come tomorrow for Mulaqat", I replied."Good good, aa jana. Ab yahi zindagi hai".#UmarKhalid

- banojyotsna... (@banojyotsna) January 5, 2026

A personal moment shared publicly

Lahiri's post was brief but powerful. It did not include arguments about the case or legal details. Instead, it focused on Khalid's emotional response to the decision. The post quickly gained attention online, with many readers seeing it as a rare glimpse into the human cost of years spent in jail while legal proceedings continue.

The exchange highlighted how Khalid, despite being denied bail, chose to express relief for others rather than focus on his own situation.

Supreme Court decision on bail pleas

On Monday, the Supreme Court denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 north-east Delhi riots. At the same time, the court granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmad.

The bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria delivered the judgment. The court said Khalid and Imam stood on a“qualitatively different footing” compared to the others, both in terms of prosecution claims and the evidence placed on record.

Court's reasoning on Umar Khalid

The Supreme Court noted that the roles of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam were described as“central” to the alleged offences. It said that although their incarceration has been long, it does not violate constitutional limits or override the strict conditions under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Earlier, on December 10, the apex court had reserved its verdict after hearing detailed arguments from all sides.

Arguments made during the hearing

Lawyers representing the accused had argued mainly on the delay in trial and the fact that the accused had been in custody for over five years. They told the court that there was no clear proof that the accused had directly instigated violence.

However, Delhi Police opposed the bail pleas, claiming the alleged acts were part of a planned conspiracy to destabilise the state. Police argued the protests were not spontaneous but were designed as part of a wider plan, including to draw global attention during the visit of the then US President.

The police further claimed that the alleged conspiracy resulted in 53 deaths, large-scale damage to public property, and the registration of 753 FIRs in Delhi.

Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and others were arrested in January 2020 under UAPA in connection with the Delhi riots that took place in February 2020. The violence occurred during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), leaving 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

Earlier, on September 2, 2025, the Delhi High Court had rejected bail pleas of nine accused, including Khalid and Imam, calling their alleged roles 'grave'.

While the legal battle continues, Umar Khalid's quiet words to his partner have stood out. In just a few sentences, he showed relief for others and acceptance of his own situation, offering a rare human moment amid a long and complex case.

(With ANI inputs)

MENAFN05012026007385015968ID1110556052