The Delhi High Court on Friday granted three-day interim bail to Umar Khalid in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, taking an “empathetic view” in light of his mother’s medical surgery and a family religious observance.
The Court permitted Khalid to be released from 7 am on June 1 until 5 pm on June 3 to attend to his ailing mother during her surgery and to participate in the Chehlum ritual of his late uncle.
As part of the interim relief, the Court directed Khalid to furnish a personal bond of Rs 1 lakh. He has also been instructed to remain within the National Capital Region (NCR), stay at his residence, and travel only to the hospital during the bail period.
While granting the temporary relief, the Bench noted that Khalid had previously been granted interim bail for family ceremonies and had complied with all conditions imposed by the Court on earlier occasions.
At the same time, the Court observed that Khalid is “one of the key conspirators” in the case linked to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots. Despite this observation, the Bench said the humanitarian circumstances surrounding his mother’s medical condition and the family ritual justified limited interim bail.
Umar Khalid in custody since Sep 2020
Khalid has been in custody since September 2020 under provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the riots conspiracy case investigated by the Delhi Police.
The case pertains to allegations of a larger conspiracy behind the communal violence that erupted in Northeast Delhi in February 2020, leaving more than 50 people dead and hundreds injured.
The order came after a Delhi trial court had earlier rejected Khalid’s plea seeking 15 days’ interim bail. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Court had dismissed the application filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), read with Section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC).
Late uncle’s Chehlum ritual, mother’s surgery
In his plea before the trial court, Khalid had stated that his uncle, Khursheed Ahmad Khan, passed away on April 10 and that the 40th-day ritual (Chehlum) was scheduled to be held in Delhi on May 24. He had further submitted that his mother was unwell and had been advised surgery for lump excision on June 2 at a private hospital.
The plea stated that although Khalid’s family comprised his parents and five sisters, his 71-year-old father was not in a position to care for his mother, while his sisters lived away from the parental home after marriage. Khalid argued that, being the eldest and only son in the family, he was required to assist his mother before and after the surgery.
Prosecution opposes plea
Opposing the application, the prosecution contended that Khalid was attempting to misuse the court’s leniency and that the grounds raised were not compelling enough to justify interim bail. The Special Public Prosecutor argued that Khalid’s uncle did not fall within the category of “close relations” and that attending the Chehlum ceremony was not necessary.
On the issue of his mother’s surgery, the prosecution argued that Khalid’s sisters and father could take care of her and described the procedure as a “minor surgery” requiring only local anaesthesia.
After hearing both sides, the trial court observed that although Khalid had earlier been granted interim bail on several occasions and had complied with all conditions, each request had to be considered independently on its own merits.
Rejecting the first ground, the trial court had said: “Attending the Chehlum ceremony of his uncle is not necessary.”
On the second ground concerning his mother’s surgery, the court held that Khalid had multiple family members who could support her during the procedure and recovery.
“Accordingly, finding the reasons unreasonable, the Court doesn’t deem it appropriate to grant the desired relief to the applicant. The application is dismissed,” the trial court order had stated.
Previous instances of interim bail
Khalid has previously received interim bail a few times, including short-duration relief in 2022, 2024 and 2025, and had surrendered on time on each occasion. In December last year, a Delhi court had granted him 14 days’ interim bail to attend his sister’s wedding, subject to stringent conditions, including restrictions on movement and use of social media.
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