The Delhi High Court has granted interim bail to activist and former Jawaharlal Nehru University student leader Omar Khalid from June 1 to June 3 in the larger 2020 northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case, in view of his mother’s surgery.
Omar Khaled had asked the Supreme Court to release him on temporary bail for a period of 15 days from May 22 to June 5 after the court rejected his request for temporary release on May 19. He had requested bail to attend his deceased uncle’s chilom ceremony and care for his 62-year-old mother, who is scheduled to undergo surgery to remove a tumor on June 2.
Call of Omar Khaled
In his appeal, Khaled said the court’s observations that his uncle was not in a “direct relationship” and that other family members could care for his mother were “incorrect and baseless.” He also said that he has a close relationship with his late uncle and hopes to spend time with his 87-year-old grandmother during the mourning period.
The petition stated that Khaled’s mother, Sabiha Khanum, had been suffering from lumps and cysts on her back for the past two years, and was advised to undergo surgery earlier this month. Khaled also said that his 71-year-old father was not able to take care of her alone, and that he, being the eldest and only son, wanted to help his mother before and after the operation.
Khaled also told the court that he had previously been granted temporary bail in 2022, 2024 and 2025 for family events, and he had complied with all conditions each time.
The court rejected his request, saying that the aforementioned reasons were “unreasonable.” The prosecution opposed the request, arguing that the surgery was a simple procedure and that other family members could help.
Khalid has been in custody since September 2020 in a larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. The prosecution alleges that the violence was part of a pre-planned conspiracy linked to the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act, allegations that Khalid has denied.
