AIMIM chief Asaduddin Owaisi has directly attributed the prolonged imprisonment of student activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, who have been in custody for over five years without trial, to the Congress party. His strong remarks came shortly after the Supreme Court on January 5, 2026, refused bail to Khalid and Imam in the alleged 'larger conspiracy' case related to the 2020 Delhi riots. Owaisi argued that the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), under which the two activists are booked, were significantly strengthened during the Congress-led UPA government. He specifically pointed to amendments made when P. Chidambaram served as the Union Home Minister, claiming these changes expanded the definition of terrorism and facilitated prolonged detention without a chargesheet. Owaisi highlighted Clause 43D of the UAPA, which permits detention for up to 180 days without a chargesheet, asserting that this provision is disproportionately used against minorities. Numerous credible sources, including NDTV, Mint, Times Now, The Economic Times, and The Week, have corroborated Owaisi's statements. The Supreme Court, in its decision, acknowledged the gravity and statutory nature of the offences and the alleged 'essential and formative role' played by Khalid and Imam in the conspiracy. While denying bail to Khalid and Imam, the apex court did grant conditional bail to five other co-accused in the same case, differentiating their alleged involvement as subsidiary or facilitative. Owaisi also recalled having warned in Parliament about the potential misuse of such subjective clauses within the UAPA.