Activist Umar Khalid on Wednesday withdrew his bail application from the Supreme Court in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots case, citing “change in circumstance”, Bar and Bench reported.

Khalid’s bail plea before the top court had been adjourned 14 times.

Khalid has been charged with criminal conspiracy, rioting, unlawful assembly and other offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, India’s anti-terrorism law. He had approached the Supreme Court after the Delhi High Court denied him bail in October 2022.

“There has been a change in circumstances, we will try our luck in the trial court,” Advocate Kapil Sibal, appearing for Khalid, said.

The case pertains to clashes in North East Delhi from February 23 to February 26, 2020, between supporters of the contentious Citizenship Amendment Act and those opposing it, leaving 53 dead and hundreds injured. Most of those killed were Muslims.

The Delhi Police have claimed that the violence was part of a larger conspiracy to defame Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government.

Khalid, arrested by the Delhi Police on September 13, 2020, has sought bail, saying that he had no role in the violence nor any “conspiratorial connect” with other persons accused in the case.

His case first came up before the Supreme Court on May 18 and has since been adjourned 14 times for reasons ranging from the police seeking more time to file a counter-affidavit, a judge recusing himself from the hearing, the case being listed on a day set aside for hearing miscellaneous applications and Khalid’s counsel being unavailable.