Court Denies Interim Bail To Umar Khalid In Delhi Riots Conspiracy Case: 'Not Reasonable'
Court Denies Interim Bail To Umar Khalid In Delhi Riots Conspiracy Case: 'Not Reasonable' Published By, Last Updated: May 19, 2026, 17:07 IST Delhi court
Court Denies Interim Bail To Umar Khalid In Delhi Riots Conspiracy Case: 'Not Reasonable' Published By, Last Updated: May 19, 2026, 17:07 IST Delhi court rejects interim bail for Umar Khalid in 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, says Chehlum visit and mothers simple surgery do not justify temporary release. File photo of Umar Khalid (Image: PTI) A Delhi court on Tuesday rejected the interim bail plea filed by former JNU student leader and jailed activist Umar Khalid in connection with the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 Delhi riots. The court in Karkardooma dismissed the bail plea, observing that the reasons cited by Khalid for seeking temporary release were not “reasonable," ANI reported. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai was hearing Khalid’s request for 15 days of interim bail to attend the Chehlum, a 40-day post-death ritual, of his uncle and to care for his mother, who is scheduled to undergo surgery. This comes a day after the Supreme Court voiced “serious reservations" over its own order denying bail to Khalid and Sharjeel Imam.
The apex court observed that the ruling failed to follow a larger bench judgment, which it described as the “law of the land". The court noted that under the precedent, bail should be considered in cases involving prolonged incarceration and delays in trial, even in matters under the UAPA and PMLA. During the hearing, Khalid’s counsel, Sahil Ghai, argued that Khalid’s 71-year-old father was unable to care for his ailing wife despite the family including five sisters. The counsel also informed the court that Khalid’s mother had been advised surgery for lump excision after medical examination. What Court Said Rejecting the interim bail plea, the Judge observed that previous interim bail granted to Khalid and co-accused without any violation of conditions did not automatically justify relief in every case. “Attending the Chehlum ceremony of his uncle is not necessary. Things would have been different if the ceremony were for a person who was in immediate relation to the applicant. Further, if the relation was so immediate… the applicant would have asked for the release at the time of the death of his uncle only, and not now, after such a long time.
Therefore, the Court doesn’t find this reason to be just," the court said. The court further noted that Khalid’s sisters and father could take care of his mother, adding that the surgery appeared to be “very simple" and did not require his presence. The order further noted,"…the father of the applicant is also there to take care of the mother of the applicant. Further, as said by the prosecution, the surgery is very simple, i.e., just for the removal of lumps, and there seems to be no actual requirement or help from the side of the applicant." “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 court stated. 2020 Delhi Riots Khalid is among several accused booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). Investigating agencies have alleged that the accused were “masterminds" behind the 2020 communal violence in northeast Delhi.
The riots, which broke out amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the proposed Register of Citizens (NRC), claimed 53 lives and left over 700 people injured. News18 Newsletter Handpicked stories, in your inbox A newsletter with the best of our journalism submit First Published: May 19, 2026, 17:07 IST News india Court Denies Interim Bail To Umar Khalid In Delhi Riots Conspiracy Case: 'Not Reasonable' Disclaimer: Comments reflect users’ views, not News18’s. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy Loading comments...
The BriefWire