Delhi riots case: Court grants interim bail to Khalid Saifi for family wedding, Ramzan

A Delhi court recently granted interim bail to Khalid Saifi, an accused in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case, allowing him temporary release to attend a family wedding and observe Ramzan with his relatives.

Saifi, the founder of advocacy group United Against Hate (UHA), has been granted bail from February 6 to February 13, subject to furnishing a personal bond of ₹20,000.

The order was passed by Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Court, who imposed stringent conditions on Saifi during the bail period. In his order dated January 29, the judge directed that the accused must not contact any prosecution witnesses, cannot leave the National Capital Region, and is barred from interacting with the media or posting any material on social media.

“The applicant, upon his release, shall not get in touch with any of the witnesses. Further, the applicant shall not leave the territory of Delhi, NCR, during the period of his interim bail,” the court said, adding that Saifi “shall not contact the media and will not do any activity or put any material on social media at any cost.”

Saifi has been in custody in connection with the larger conspiracy case arising out of the communal violence that engulfed parts of Northeast Delhi in February 2020.

According to the prosecution, Saifi allegedly participated in conspiracy meetings where discussions were held on arranging funds for weapons. Investigators have also alleged that he organised a “celebratory” meeting after the riots to coordinate an alleged cover-up. He is further accused of receiving money to procure firearms and instructing protesters to disable CCTV cameras during the violence.

The interim bail, the court clarified, is purely temporary and humanitarian in nature, and does not reflect any view on the merits of the case.