The student activist has been in continuous custody since April 2020 and never sought interim bail earlier
Team Clarion
NEW DELHI — The Delhi High Court has granted 10-day interim bail to Meeran Haider, a student at Jamia Millia Islamia and a youth wing leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Haider is accused of inciting the Delhi riots that erupted in 2020, resulting in 53 deaths and over 700 injuries.
The court’s decision was influenced by humanitarian concerns after Haider’s sister recently suffered the loss of her newborn child. Haider’s lawyer argued that there was no one else in the family to support his grieving sister, as her husband, who resides in the UAE, was set to return there imminently. “Given the circumstances, Haider must be with his family during this difficult time,” the lawyer stated.
Haider has been in custody since 2020, following his participation in anti-CAA protests. The Delhi Police had charged him with inciting the violence during the riots, which broke out between 23 and 26 February 2020, in the context of the controversial Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) protests.
Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai said Saturday that the court found it appropriate to grant Haider interim bail. The court, however, emphasised that during these 10 days, Haider must strictly avoid any actions that could be interpreted as tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses.
This interim relief marks the first time Haider has sought bail since his imprisonment. His case continues to be one of the many high-profile legal battles stemming from the 2020 Delhi riots.
Haider’s regular bail plea is currently pending before the Delhi High Court.
