Taking ‘empathetic view’, Delhi HC grants Umar Khalid 3-day interim bail in riots conspiracy case

The Delhi High Court on Friday granted activist and former JNU student leader Umar Khalid three-day interim bail in the larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, taking what it described as an “empathetic view” considering his mother’s upcoming surgery.

The Court allowed Khalid interim release from 7 am on June 1 till 5 pm on June 3 on a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh. It directed him to remain within the National Capital Region during the bail period and permitted him to travel only between his residence and the hospital.

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Khalid had approached the High Court challenging a May 19 trial court order that had rejected his request for interim bail.

While granting relief, the High Court noted that Khalid had earlier been released on interim bail on several occasions for family-related events and had complied with all conditions imposed by the courts during those periods.

HC notes Khalid is ‘one of the key conspirators’

The Court observed that Khalid is “one of the key conspirators” in the case but still considered it appropriate to grant temporary relief given his mother’s medical condition.

Khalid had sought interim bail for 15 days from May 22 to June 5 to attend the Chehlum ceremony of his maternal uncle and to care for his 62-year-old mother, who is scheduled to undergo lump excision surgery on June 2.

His appeal before the High Court was filed under Section 21(4) of the National Investigation Agency Act.

Earlier this week, Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Courts had dismissed Khalid’s plea, observing that the grounds raised by him were “not reasonable”.

The trial court had said attendance at the Chehlum ceremony was “not that necessary” and noted that Khalid’s father and sisters could look after his mother during the surgery period.

Khalid has remained in custody since September 2020 in the larger conspiracy case linked to the northeast Delhi riots.

The prosecution has alleged that the violence formed part of a pre-planned conspiracy connected to protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), an allegation Khalid has consistently denied.