Umar Khalid, one of the accused in the 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi riots, has been given interim bail once again, this time so he can attend his sister’s wedding.

A Delhi court approved his request and allowed him to stay out of jail from 16th December to 29th December, following the order issued by Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai. The permission is temporary, and the court made sure that the conditions attached to this relief are very strict.

During the days he is allowed to be out, the court has placed several restrictions on him. Khalid has been instructed that he cannot use social media, contact any witnesses, or interact with anyone connected to the case. He must remain inside his home or travel only to the places where the wedding ceremonies are scheduled to take place. By the evening of 29th December, he is required to surrender and return to custody without any delay.

This is not the first occasion when Umar Khalid has been given temporary freedom to attend family functions. Over the past two years, he has been granted interim bail for similar reasons. He received bail earlier for a week-long period, from 28th December 2023 to 3rd January 2024, so he could attend his cousin’s wedding. Before that, in December 2022, he was allowed to remain out from 23rd December to 30th December to attend his sister’s wedding, after which he complied with the court’s order and surrendered at the scheduled time.

Khalid is currently under judicial custody while facing serious charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, as he is accused of being involved in the larger conspiracy behind the 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi riots. These riots erupted in Northeast Delhi on February 23rd and continued until February 26th, 2020. The violence resulted in the deaths of 53 people, including Head Constable Ratan Lal, IB officer Ankit Sharma, and Hindu labourer Dilbar Negi. Nearly 200 individuals suffered injuries during this period of unrest.

Several Hindu-owned homes, shops, and temples were damaged or destroyed during the violence. Investigators have stated that the riots were not random acts of anger but part of a coordinated plan aimed at deepening communal divides and challenging the nation’s stability. The larger conspiracy case includes several other accused individuals: Sharjeel Imam, Tahir Hussain, Gulfisha Fatima, Safoora Zargar, Natasha Narwal, and Devangana Kalita. Each of them faces charges connected to planning and encouraging the events that led to the violence.

The latest interim bail granted to Umar Khalid highlights how courts sometimes balance personal family needs with ongoing legal proceedings. Even though his primary bail pleas are still pending in higher courts, these short-term permissions allow him limited time with his family, while the strict conditions ensure that the trial process remains unaffected.