Delhi court grants Umar Khalid interim bail to attend sister's wedding

A Delhi court on Thursday granted interim bail to former JNU scholar and Delhi riots conspiracy accused Umar Khalid, permitting him to attend his sister’s wedding later this month. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma courts allowed Khalid to remain out on bail from December 16 to December 29. The judge noted that the request was for the marriage of Khalid’s real sister and approved his plea on a personal bond of Rs 20,000 with two sureties of the same amount.

The court imposed strict conditions. Khalid has been barred from using social media during this period and is allowed to meet only his family members, relatives, and friends. He must remain at his home or at the venues where the wedding ceremonies, as listed in his application, will be held.

Khalid had originally sought bail from December 14 to December 29. His sister’s wedding is scheduled for December 27. “Further, the applicant’s father is 71 years old and his mother is 62 years old, and during the period of interim bail, the applicant will see and spend some time with his parents. Further, the applicant has been in custody since September 13, 2020, approximately 5 years and three months, and will be able to meet his elder sister and her children, who are living abroad and are coming to India to attend the wedding ceremonies. Further, the applicant was granted interim bail twice but did not misuse the liberty. Further, there is no chance that the applicant will tamper with the evidence or influence any witness,” the court noted in the order.

Arrested in September 2020, Khalid faces charges of criminal conspiracy, rioting, unlawful assembly, and several offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. He was earlier granted short bail in December 2021 to attend his cousin’s wedding.

The development comes even as the Supreme Court, on December 10, reserved its verdict on the regular bail pleas filed by Khalid and five others in the case. Senior Advocate Trideep Pais, assisted by advocate Sanya Kumar, represented Khalid, while Special Public Prosecutors Amit Prasad, Madhukar Pandey, and Anirudh Mishra, along with advocates Ayodhya Prasad and Harshil Jain, appeared for the Delhi Police.