The Karkardooma Court in Delhi gives October 14-23 temporary relief to the accused on personal and surety bonds of ₹20,000
NEW DELHI — The Karkardooma Court in Delhi has granted a ten-day interim bail to activist and Delhi riots accused Khalid Saifi, citing humanitarian grounds. The decision was delivered by Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai on Monday, allowing Saifi temporary release from 14 October to 23 October to attend to his ailing 85-year-old mother.
The interim relief comes weeks after the Delhi High Court on 2 September rejected the bail pleas of nine accused in the Delhi riots conspiracy case. Alongside Khalid Saifi, those whose appeals were denied included Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Athar Khan, Mohammad Saleem Khan, Shifa-ur-Rahman, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, and Shadab Ahmad.
All of them were accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) — a law widely criticised by human rights groups for being used to silence dissent, particularly among Muslim activists who protested against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA).
A senior advocate familiar with the case, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “These activists have been behind bars for over five years without conviction. Granting short-term bail on compassionate grounds is the least the court could have done.”
The February 2020 violence erupted in North-East Delhi following clashes between supporters and opponents of the CAA, a controversial law perceived by many Muslims as discriminatory. Over 50 people — mostly Muslims — lost their lives, and hundreds were injured. The riots also saw widespread destruction of homes, shops, and mosques in Muslim-majority areas.
Investigating agencies later charged several activists, including Saifi, with allegedly plotting the violence. However, their families and lawyers maintain that these charges are politically motivated.
“Khalid has always stood for peace and unity,” said a family member. “He was targeted only because he raised his voice against injustice. His temporary release is a small relief for our family.”
Human rights defenders have welcomed the decision, calling it a step toward recognising humanitarian needs even within politically sensitive cases. Advocate Firdous Ahmed, a legal activist based in Delhi, remarked, “The case of Khalid Saifi reflects a pattern where Muslim activists face extended pre-trial detention under the UAPA. Interim bail on compassionate grounds shows that courts still acknowledge basic human dignity.”
Social media users and civil rights groups also expressed support. Many argued that Muslim activists had been unjustly targeted after peacefully protesting against a law they considered exclusionary.
Saifi’s wife, in an earlier statement, had said her husband had been “unfairly portrayed as a conspirator” despite his record of non-violent activism. She added, “We only hope that one day he will be fully acquitted and justice will prevail. For now, this temporary bail allows him to fulfil his duties as a son.”
While Saifi’s bail is limited to ten days, his supporters view it as a moral victory in a long struggle for justice. His legal team continues to seek regular bail, maintaining that the prosecution has failed to produce concrete evidence linking him to any act of violence.
The ten-day interim bail granted to Khalid Saifi stands as a brief reprieve for the activist who remains entangled in one of India’s most controversial riot cases. As his family prepares to welcome him home, even if temporarily, the larger question of prolonged detentions without trial under anti-terror laws remains a pressing concern for India’s Muslim community and rights defenders.
