# Over 100 citizens urge CJI to act on Khalid, Imam detention 2026-08-15T03:47:31+00:00 | Governance | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 2 independent outlets More than 100 writers, academics, filmmakers and activists have urged Chief Justice of India Surya Kant to intervene in the continued detention of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. The two have been jailed for nearly six years without trial in the case linked to the 2020 North-East Delhi riots, under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The open letter cites the Supreme Court’s 2021 K.A. Najeeb judgment, which held that prolonged detention can breach the right to a speedy trial. It says the prosecution has listed about 900 witnesses, while the trial has not begun. The signatories also referred to later scrutiny of a January 2026 bail ruling in the Syed Iftikhar Andrabi judgment. ## Coverage - thehindu.com - thenewsminute.com Tags: North-East Delhi, Sharjeel Imam, Supreme Court of India, Umar Khalid, Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/citizens-urge-cji-to-review-umar-khalid-sharjeel-imam-custody/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/citizens-urge-cji-to-review-umar-khalid-sharjeel-imam-custody/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.