Supreme Court Rejects Delhi Riots Accused Shadab Ahmad's Plea to Attend Ghaziabad Law Classes

NEW DELHI — The Supreme Court of India on Tuesday formally declined to entertain a petition filed by Shadab Ahmad, an accused in the 2020 Delhi riots, seeking a relaxation of his bail conditions to attend law classes in Ghaziabad. The bench firmly rejected the request to lift the restriction that bars the petitioner from leaving the geographical boundaries of the national capital.

The legal battle stems from ongoing judicial measures tied to the widespread communal violence that erupted in northeast Delhi four years ago. As part of his conditional liberty, Ahmad was barred from exiting Delhi to ensure compliance with trial proceedings and prevent any potential interference, a standard legal hurdle faced by several high-profile defendants in the sweeping conspiracy cases.

According to reports by The Hindu, proceedings took a critical turn when Justice Aravind Kumar directly questioned the defense counsel regarding the petitioner's insistence on crossing state lines for education. The bench pointedly asked why Ahmad specifically sought admission into a law program outside Delhi when the capital hosts numerous reputable institutions offering identical academic courses.

With the apex court shutting down the modification plea, the existing bail framework remains completely unchanged, compelling the accused to either pursue educational opportunities strictly within Delhi or abandon the academic pursuit for the duration of the trial. Legal analysts note that this decision underscores the judiciary's rigid stance on maintaining travel restrictions for individuals facing serious charges under anti-terror and rioting statutes.