Delhi Riots 2020: Umar Khalid gets one-week interim bail in UAPA case to attend sister's wedding

A Delhi court on Monday granted interim bail to student activist Umar Khalid for a week in the larger conspiracy case of 2020 NorthEast Delhi riots. Khalid had sought the interim bail to attend his sister’s wedding. 

According to the order passed by Additional Sessions Judges Amitabh Rawat, the interim bail will remain subject to conditions. It will begin on December 23 and Khalid will have to surrender on December 30, reported Live Law. 

Khalid had moved an application seeking two weeks' interim bail -- from December 20 to January 3 -- for his sister's wedding.

Opposing Khalid’s application, Delhi Police had claimed that he is “likely to spread misinformation by use of social media” during his release and is also “likely to cause unrest in the society.”

Stating that Khalid’s parents are capable of making all the necessary arrangements as his mother is running a boutique and father is heading a political party, the Delhi Police said: “The release of applicant is further opposed as he is very likely to spread misinformation by use of social media during his interim bail period which cannot be prevented and is likely to cause unrest in the society. He may also influence witnesses.”

Khalid was booked under the anti-terror law Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being a mastermind of the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots, which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. The violence had erupted during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Khalid was arrested by the Delhi Police in September 2020. He was discharged in a case related to the riots on December 3.

He was denied bail by a special bench of Justices Siddharth Mridul and Rajnish Bhatnagar on October 18. While denying him bail, the High Court had observed that Khalid's name finds a recurring mention in the chargesheet from the beginning of the conspiracy behind the 2020 protests till the culmination of ensuing riots.

The court also noted that Khalid was a member of WhatsApp groups like DPSG and Muslim students of JNU and had also participated in various meetings, wherein the alleged conspiracy to commit the riots took place.