New Delhi, May 22 -- A division bench of the Supreme Court on Friday, May 22, referred its earlier ruling denying bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 Delhi riots case to a larger bench.

Justices Aravind Kumar and PB Varale made the reference while granting interim relief of six months to Tasleem Ahmed and Khalid Saifi, two others also accused in the riots that rocked northeast Delhi in 2020.

During the hearing, Additional Solicitor General (ASG) SV Raju asked for a review of the May 18 order that maintained bail should be the rule even for cases registered under the draconian Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

The bench of Justices BV Nagarathna and Ujjal Bhuyan had granted bail to Syed Iftikhar Andrabi in a hig...