Delhi Trial Court Grants Umar Khalid Two-Week Interim Bail to Attend Sister’s Wedding

New Delhi | December 11, 2025 A Delhi trial court has granted interim bail for two weeks to jailed activist and former JNU student Umar Khalid, an accused in the larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots, allowing him to attend his sister’s wedding later this month. The court approved the relief from December 16 to December 29 on a personal bond of Rs 20,000 along with two sureties of the same amount. Khalid, who has been in custody since September 2020, approached the Karkardooma Court seeking interim bail specifically to be present for the family ceremonies and preparations ahead of his sister’s wedding, scheduled for December 27. The court took note that the marriage involved his real sister, considering the personal significance of the occasion while granting temporary relief. In the past, Khalid has been granted similar short-term interim bail to attend family weddings. In December of the previous year, he was given seven days’ relief for a family wedding, and in 2022, he was also granted a week-long bail to attend his sister’s marriage ceremony. The court imposed strict conditions on Khalid’s interim bail. He has been barred from contacting any witnesses or persons connected to the case and must provide his mobile number to the investigating officer, keeping it active throughout the bail period. He is further prohibited from using social media and is only allowed to meet family members, relatives, and friends. Khalid must remain at his residence or the designated wedding venues and is required to surrender before the Superintendent of the concerned jail on the evening of December 29 after the expiry of his interim bail. The Superintendent will then submit a compliance report to the court. The interim bail comes a day after the Supreme Court reserved its verdict on the bail pleas of Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and other activists under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with the alleged conspiracy behind the February 2020 Delhi riots. The Delhi Police, opposing the bail pleas, described the riots as a pre-planned and well-orchestrated attack, claiming it was designed to challenge India’s sovereignty rather than a spontaneous event. Umar Khalid has consistently denied the allegations in the case, and the temporary relief granted by the trial court reflects the judicial consideration of personal family obligations alongside the ongoing legal proceedings. His presence at the wedding is expected to be limited to family events, strictly adhering to the court’s directions, while ensuring that his involvement in the case continues to be monitored. This development highlights the balance courts often try to maintain between humanitarian considerations and the integrity of ongoing criminal investigations. The two-week interim bail allows Khalid a rare opportunity to be with his family during a significant personal milestone while remaining under judicial oversight, emphasizing that personal circumstances can influence temporary relief even in high-profile cases. Delhi Trial Court Grants Umar Khalid Two-Week Interim Bail to Attend Sister’s Wedding Jailed activist and former JNU student Umar Khalid has been granted two-week interim bail by a Delhi trial court to attend his sister’s wedding later this month. The court approved the bail from December 16 to December 29, on a personal bond of Rs 20,000 along with two sureties of the same amount. Khalid has been in custody since September 2020 in connection with the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi riots. Khalid had requested the bail to be present for family ceremonies and preparations ahead of his sister’s wedding, scheduled for December 27. The court noted that the marriage involves his real sister and considered the personal importance of the occasion while granting temporary relief. This is not the first time Khalid has been allowed interim bail for family events; in December last year, he was granted seven days’ relief for a wedding, and in 2022, he was given a week to attend his sister’s marriage. Strict conditions were imposed on his bail. Khalid is barred from contacting any witnesses or persons connected to the case. He must keep his mobile active and provide the number to the investigating officer. He is not allowed to use social media and can only meet family, relatives, and friends. Khalid must stay at his home or the wedding venues and surrender to the jail superintendent on December 29 after the bail period, who will then file a compliance report with the court. The interim bail comes just a day after the Supreme Court reserved its verdict on bail pleas of Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, and other activists under the UAPA in the same riots case. Delhi Police opposed the bail, describing the riots as a pre-planned attack on India’s sovereignty. Khalid has consistently denied all allegations. This bail allows him to attend a significant family event while remaining under judicial oversight, balancing personal obligations with the ongoing legal process.