New Delhi: The Delhi High Court on Friday granted a three-day interim bail to activist Umar Khalid, who has been in custody under the anti-terror law, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, for his alleged involvement in the larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. A bench comprising Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Madhu Jain permitted Khalid’s release from June 1 to June 3, 2026, to allow him to meet his mother, who is scheduled to undergo a medical surgery.
The high court adopted an empathetic approach to the request, despite noting that the Supreme Court had previously rejected Khalid’s regular bail plea earlier this year on January 5. Additional Solicitor General S.V. Raju, representing the Delhi Police, countered the application by arguing that the surgery was minor and suggested that Khalid should only be permitted to visit his mother under strict police escort. However, the bench decided to grant the short interim reprieve to allow the appellant to spend time with his family during the medical procedure.
The ruling comes as an appeal against a trial court decision from May 19, which had dismissed Khalid’s initial plea for a 15-day interim bail. The lower court had previously ruled that his presence for his uncle’s post-death rituals was not essential and that other family members were available to assist his mother. Khalid, along with other activists like Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi, and former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, was booked by the Delhi Police Special Cell as a suspected mastermind behind the 2020 communal violence, which erupted during anti-CAA protests and resulted in 53 deaths and over 700 injuries.
