The Delhi High Court on Friday has granted Umar Khalid 3-day interim bail from June 1 to June 3 in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots case, allowing him to visit his mother, who is scheduled to undergo surgery. A lower court had earlier rejected his request for 15 days’ interim release, saying that each fresh bail plea must be assessed on its own merits and granted only if the grounds are reasonable.
Khalid had sought interim bail to attend the ‘chehlum’ of his late maternal uncle and to take care of his mother ahead of her surgery. The Delhi court that denied relief on May 19 said, “No doubt that on previous occasions, as mentioned by Counsel for the applicant, not only the applicant but other co-accused persons have been granted interim bail and they never flouted the conditions as imposed by the Court, but it doesn’t mean that on every occasion whenever the accused seeks bail, the Court should grant the same”.
Delhi High Court grants three-day interim bail to Umar Khalid in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, taking an “empathetic view” due to his mother’s surgery.
Court granted bail from 7 AM on June 1 till 5 PM on June 3 on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh. Khalid has been…
— ANI (@ANI) May 22, 2026
What did the court order say?
The same order added that the court must examine every new application independently and allow it only when the grounds are reasonable. Earlier reports said the court also noted that Khalid’s mother could be cared for by other family members and described the uncle-related plea as insufficient for bail.
ALSO READ‘Cockroach Janta Party phenomenon reveals youth frustration, opportunity for Opposition’: Shashi Tharoor
Before the High Court’s intervention, the trial court had dismissed Khalid’s plea, calling the grounds for release unreasonable. Media reports said the court observed that the surgery was minor and that Khalid’s sisters and father could assist his mother. That denial came just days before the High Court granted the temporary relief.
Who is Umar Khalid?
Umar Khalid is an accused in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. The matter has drawn renewed attention after the Supreme Court (SC) recently reiterated that “bail is the rule and jail is the exception” even under UAPA, while expressing reservations about its earlier denial of bail in the case.
Khalid has been in custody since September 2020 in the larger conspiracy case arising out of FIR 59/2020. The prosecution alleges that the riots were part of a pre-planned conspiracy linked to protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), allegations which Khalid has denied.
</p> |
