A Delhi court on Thursday granted interim bail to former JNU scholar and Delhi riot accused Umar Khalid to attend his sister’s wedding. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Sameer Bajpai allowed Khalid to remain on bail from December 16 to December 29.
“Since the marriage is that of the appellant’s sisters, the application is allowed and the appellant is granted interim bail from 16.12.2025 to 29.12.2025 on furnishing a personal bond of Rs. 20,000/- with two sureties of like amount subject to the following conditions,” the court said and according to the Bench report.
Umar Khalid was arrested in September 2020 on charges of criminal conspiracy, disorderly conduct, unlawful assembly and several other charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
In December 2024, he was granted a seven-day bail to attend his cousin’s wedding.
Umar Khalid’s interim bail conditions
— As part of his interim bail conditions, Khalid has been instructed not to use social media during this period and only meet with family members, relatives and friends.
— Khalid applied for bail from December 14 to December 29. His sister’s wedding is scheduled to take place on December 27.
The JNU scholar’s first plea seeking proper bail was rejected by the trial court in March 2022. He has been in jail since September 2020, awaiting trial under the UAPA for his alleged involvement in a larger conspiracy surrounding the 2020 Delhi riots.
2020 Delhi riots
Violence erupted during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider and Rehman were charged under the Anti-Terrorism Act and provisions of the former IPC for allegedly being the “masterminds” of the riots that left 53 dead and more than 700 injured.
Umar Khalid bail application
Khalid’s earlier bail pleas were rejected by the Delhi High Court and the Karkardooma court. On Wednesday, December 10, the Supreme Court reserved its verdict on the bail applications filed by Khalid and five other accused in the case.
Earlier in November, the Delhi Police informed the Supreme Court that the trial of several accused, including Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam — booked under the UAPA in the 2020 Delhi riots case — was likely to be completed within two years.
The Delhi Police issued the clarification as it continued its arguments against the bail applications of Khalid, Imam and five other accused in the 2020 Delhi riots case.
Following the police submission, the Supreme Court heard counter arguments by senior advocates Kapil Sibal and Abhishek Manu Singhvi, who are appearing for some of the accused.
