Delhi Court Denies Umar Khalid Bail

A Delhi court, presided over by Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai, denied the interim bail plea of activist Umar Khalid, an accused in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case. Khalid had sought 15 days of interim bail to care for his ailing mother, who is scheduled for surgery, and to attend the 40-day post-death ritual (Chehlum) of his uncle. The India — Delhi Police objected to the plea, arguing that his uncle was a distant relative and his mother's surgery was not an emergency. The court found the reasons 'unreasonable' and dismissed the application. Khalid remains in judicial custody, having been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly being a 'mastermind' of the riots.