Umar Khalid leaves Tihar Jail on bail to attend sister’s wedding

This is the first time the former JNU student has come out on bail after his arrest on September 14, 2020, in the Delhi riots conspiracy case. Prison officers said he will return after a week and that the court order says he will not be allowed to leave the Capital

Former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid was released from Delhi’s Tihar jail on interim bail on Friday morning to attend his younger sister’s wedding, said prison officers aware of the development.

Umar Khalid leaves Tihar Jail in New Delhi on Friday. (ANI)

Prison officers said he will return after a week and that the court order says he will not be allowed to leave the Capital.

“The prison department released him on the basis of the court order. He has been asked not to speak to the press and will be on bail till December 30. Police officers will stand guard at this house but they will not enter the house. There are many conditions that he has to comply with during his bail,” said a prison officer.

This is the first time Khalid has come out on bail after his arrest on September 14, 2020, in the Delhi riots conspiracy case. He has been booked under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for his alleged role in planning and executing the riots.

At least 53 people died while 400 others were injured in February 2020 when riots broke out in parts of north-east Delhi. Police have said the conspiracy to orchestrate the riots was planned during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

The people arrested in the riots case have alleged that they were targeted for being prominent anti-government voices during the anti-CAA protests in the months before the riots.