Delhi Riots Case: Court Allows Umar Khalid Two Weekly Video Calls With Family, Restores E-Mulakat Facility
The Delhi court restored Umar Khalid’s second weekly e-mulakat after noting that he had availed the facility for six years without violating the Delhi Prisons Rules and directed prison authorities to permit two weekly video calls with his family
A Delhi court restored Umar Khalid’s second weekly e-mulakat, allowing him two video calls every week with his family in the Delhi riots conspiracy case
A Delhi court has allowed Umar Khalid, who is in judicial custody in the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 North-East Delhi riots, to havetwo e-mulakats (video calls) with his family every week, restoring a facility that had recently been curtailed.
In an order dated July 13, Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Sameer Bajpai observed that Khalid had been availing two weekly e-mulakats for the past six years without violating any provision of the Delhi Prisons Rules.
“Since the applicant has been using two e-mulakats in a week for last six years and has not violated any rule of the Delhi Prisons Rule, the applicant is allowed to have two e-mulakats per week for the purpose of talking to his mother and other family members,” the Court ordered.
Khalid has remained in custody in connection with the larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 North-East Delhi riots.
Appearing on his behalf, counsel submitted that Khalid had consistently been permitted two weekly e-mulakats for nearly six years. However, from May 2026, prison authorities allegedly reduced the facility to one e-mulakat per week without any justification.
Seeking restoration of the earlier arrangement, Khalid approached the trial court.
Accepting the plea, the Court directed prison authorities to allow Khalid two video calls every week to communicate with his mother and other family members, noting his compliance with prison rules during the period he had been availing the facility.
In a related news, earlier this month, the Court had
dismissed the fresh bail applications filed by Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam in the larger Delhi riots conspiracy case, holding that the pleas were not maintainable in view of the Supreme Court’s January 5, 2026 order governing their liberty to seek bail afresh.
ASJ Sameer Bajpai had held that the trial court was bound by the Supreme Court’s earlier decision rejecting the duo’s bail pleas and could not entertain fresh applications until the conditions stipulated by the apex court were fulfilled.
“Importantly, this Court has no option but to follow the judgment dated 05.01.2026, as passed by the Hon’ble Supreme Court, whereby the petitions of both the applicants were dismissed,” the Court had observed.
The fresh bail pleas had been filed after a coordinate Bench of the Supreme Court recently raised questions regarding the interpretation adopted while denying bail to the two accused in the case.
The case arises out of FIR No. 59/2020, registered by the Delhi Police Special Cell in connection with the alleged larger conspiracy behind the communal violence that erupted in North East Delhi in February 2020. The FIR invokes multiple provisions of the Indian Penal Code, 1860, along with offences under the UAPA.
In his bail application, Sharjeel Imam has highlighted that despite more than six months having elapsed since the Supreme Court’s judgment refusing bail, there has been no meaningful progress in the trial. He has pointed out that arguments on charge are yet to conclude and that he has remained incarcerated for nearly six years.
Imam has contended that the prolonged delay in the proceedings has resulted in continued detention without commencement of trial, strengthening his claim for grant of regular bail. Umar Khalid has also sought regular bail on similar grounds before the trial court.
The two accused are among several individuals facing prosecution in the conspiracy case. Others named in the FIR include former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, Khalid Saifi, Ishrat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohammad Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar, Faizan Khan and Natasha Narwal. The prosecution alleges that the accused were part of a larger conspiracy that culminated in the North East Delhi riots of February 2020. The accused have consistently denied the allegations.
Recently, the High Court had granted Khalid a three-day interim bail in the larger conspiracy case connected to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, allowing him to meet his mother, who is scheduled to undergo surgery, and attend the Chehlum ceremony of his deceased uncle.
The Court had held that the circumstances warranted a humanitarian approach and temporarily released Khalid despite the pendency of serious charges against him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 (UAPA). By granting only three days of interim bail instead of the fifteen days sought, the High Court sought to balance Khalid’s personal circumstances with the concerns raised by the prosecution regarding the nature of the allegations against him. Earlier,Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai at Karkardooma court rejected the bail plea of Umar Khalid.
Case Title: State v. Tahir Hussain
