Umar Khalid Granted Two-Day Interim Bail by Delhi High Court for Family Medical Emergency and Religious Observance

The court order, issued on Friday, allows Khalid temporary release from June 1 to June 3. During this period, he is permitted to be with his family for his mother’s scheduled lump excision surgery on June 2 and to take part in the Chehlum observance, held 40 days after the death of a family member. His uncle, Khursheed Ahmad Khan, passed away on April 10, and the associated ritual was scheduled for May 24 in Delhi.

Khalid had approached the trial court earlier seeking a 15-day interim release. However, the plea was rejected by the Additional Sessions Judge at the Karkardooma Court. The court observed that attendance at the uncle’s Chehlum was not essential and noted that his mother could be supported by other family members, including his father and five sisters, despite his claim that his presence was necessary as the only son.

The plea further stated that Khalid’s 71-year-old father was not in a position to care for his wife, while his sisters were settled in different households after marriage, making his assistance before and after the surgery essential.

Khalid is currently lodged in custody under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and other provisions in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots. According to prosecution claims, student activists associated with protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act during 2019–2020 were involved in planning activities that led to the outbreak of violence in North East Delhi in February 2020.

This is not the first time Khalid has been granted temporary release. In December last year, a Delhi court allowed him 14 days of interim bail to attend his sister’s wedding under strict conditions, including restrictions on movement and social media use. He has also been granted short-term bail on multiple occasions in 2022 and 2024.

The latest order from the Delhi High Court adds another instance of conditional relief during his prolonged custody since September 2020 under the stringent anti-terror law framework.

The decision underscores the judiciary’s continued balancing of personal humanitarian grounds against the gravity of allegations in one of the most closely watched cases arising from the 2020 Delhi riots investigation.