2020 riots: Court grants interim bail to Khalid Saifi

new delhi: A Delhi court has granted 13-day interim bail to 2020 Northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case accused Khalid Saifi, on several conditions, including refraining from social media.

Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai was hearing the interim bail application filed by ‘United Against Hate’ founder, Saifi, to attend the wedding of his nephews and observe Ramzan with his family.

In an order dated January 29, the court said, “The applicant (Saifi), 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. Further, the applicant shall not contact the Media and will not do any activity or put any material on social media at any cost”.

The court granted him the relief from February 6 to February 13, 2026, on furnishing a personal bond of Rs 20,000 along with two sureties of the like amount.

“Considering all the facts and circumstances of the case, the court deems it just and appropriate to grant the desired relief to the applicant (Saifi),” the judge said.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24, 2020, after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 700 injured.

According to the FIR registered at Jagat Puri police station, a mob had assembled in Masjidwali Gali in Khureji Khas area of northeast Delhi on February 26, 2020.

The crowd refused to obey the police’s order to disperse, threw stones and assaulted police personnel, the FIR said, adding someone also fired a gunshot at head constable Yograj.

According to the prosecution, Saifi and former Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan had instigated the “unlawful assembly”.