Two Benches, One Court: Contradictory Rulings On Liberty For Umar Khalid And Amtek Promoter

A special report analyzes recent, contrasting Supreme Court bail judgments, raising questions about the application of personal liberty. On January 5, a bench denied bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots conspiracy case, stating the gravity of charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) outweighed trial delays. Just a day later, a different bench granted bail to former Amtek Group promoter Arvind Dham in a money laundering case, asserting that the fundamental right to a speedy trial is not eclipsed by the nature of the offense. The court noted that if the state cannot ensure a speedy trial, it should not oppose bail. A panel of legal experts discusses these outcomes, with Senior Advocate Satyapal Jain questioning if the law is 'tilting towards the rich,' while Former Justice Sanjeev Banerjee argues that 'bail is really the rule.' The program explores the differing interpretations of the PMLA and UAPA laws and the apparent subjectivity in constitutional interpretation.