Source Live law
NEW DELHI—A Delhi court on Thursday granted interim bail to former JNU student leader and activist Umar Khalid, an accused in the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 North East Delhi riots, to attend his sister’s wedding.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Courts allowed Khalid to be released from custody for a period of two weeks, from December 16 to December 29. His sister’s wedding is scheduled for December 27.
Key Details of the Bail Order
The court granted the temporary relief upon furnishing a personal bond of ₹20,000 along with two sureties of the like amount, acknowledging the genuine family event.
The interim bail, however, comes with several strict conditions:
No Social Media Use: Khalid is barred from using any social media platform during the period of bail.
Witness/Case Contact Restriction: He is directed not to contact any witness or any person connected with the case.
Limited Interaction: He is permitted to meet only his family members, relatives, and friends.
Restricted Movement: Khalid must remain either at his home or at the venues where the marriage ceremonies, as mentioned in his application, will take place.
Surrender Mandate: He must surrender before the Superintendent of the concerned jail on the evening of December 29, upon the expiry of the interim bail period.
Background and Context
Umar Khalid has been in judicial custody since September 2020 and is facing charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly being one of the “masterminds” behind the communal riots that resulted in 53 deaths and over 700 injuries.
The interim bail does not impact the ongoing proceedings in the broader conspiracy case. Khalid’s regular bail pleas have previously been rejected by both the trial court and the Delhi High Court. The Supreme Court had reserved its verdict on his regular bail plea just one day prior to this interim bail grant.
The court noted that this is not the first time Khalid has been granted temporary release for a family function, having previously received interim bail to attend a relative’s wedding in earlier years.
The former JNU scholar, along with several other accused, faces charges of alleged planning and coordination of protests that escalated into the violence in February 2020.
