Umar Khalid moves Delhi High Court seeking interim bail

NEW DELHI: Jailed student activist Umar Khalid has moved the Delhi High Court, challenging a trial court order denying him interim bail in connection with the larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots.

Khalid on Thursday sought interim bail on humanitarian grounds to attend the Chehlum ceremony of his late uncle and to take care of his ailing mother, who is scheduled to undergo surgery next month.

As per the causelist published on the official website of the Delhi High Court, a bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Madhu Jain is scheduled to hear the matter on Friday.

Earlier, a Delhi court had dismissed Khalid's interim bail plea seeking temporary release for 15 days.

Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Court had rejected the application filed under Section 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), read with Section 439 of the CrPC.

According to the plea filed before the trial court, Khalid's uncle, Khursheed Ahmad Khan, passed away on April 10, and the 40th-day ritual (Chehlum) is scheduled to be held in Delhi on May 24.

Khalid had also submitted that his mother has been unwell and has been advised surgery for lump excision on June 2 at a private hospital.

The plea said that although Khalid's family consisted of his parents and five sisters, his 71-year-old father was not in a position to take care of his mother, while his sisters lived away from the parental home after marriage.

It was said that, being the eldest and the only son in the family, Khalid was required to assist his mother before and after the surgery.

Opposing the plea before the trial court, the prosecution had contended that the accused was attempting to misuse the court's leniency and that the grounds raised were not compelling.