Delhi Court Grants 13-Day Interim Bail to Khalid Saifi in Riots Conspiracy Case

A Delhi court has granted 13 days of interim bail to Khalid Saifi , an accused in the larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots , permitting temporary release under stringent conditions . The order, delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai , allows Saifi to attend family wedding functions and observe Ramzan . The interim bail is valid from February 6 to February 13, 2026 a total of 13 days upon furnishing a personal bond of ₹20,000 and two sureties of the same amount.

For the entire bail period , Saifi is barred from contacting or influencing witnesses, interacting with the media, or engaging in any social media activity. He has also been directed not to leave the Delhi–NCR region. The court noted that while humanitarian grounds justified temporary relief, safeguards were necessary given the gravity of the allegations. Saifi is the founder of United Against Hate and is among several accused in the alleged conspiracy surrounding the communal violence that erupted in northeast Delhi in February 2020.

The riots, which followed tensions linked to protests over the citizenship law, left at least 53 people dead and around 700 injured . According to the FIR registered at Jagat Puri police station, a mob gathered in Khureji Khas on February 26, 2020, allegedly defied police orders, resorted to stone pelting , assaulted personnel, and a gunshot was reportedly fired at a head constable.

Meanwhile, the broader legal landscape remains divided. In January 2026, the Supreme Court of India denied bail to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam , citing restrictions under the UAPA . Both remain in custody and were told they may seek bail again after a year. However, several co-accused Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa ur-Rehman, Mohammad Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed were granted bail earlier, marking a contrast in judicial outcomes as proceedings continue.