Umar Khalid released on bail from Tihar jail to attend sister's marriage

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Student activist Umar Khalid was released from Tihar Jail on Friday after he was granted seven-day interim bail by the court to attend his sister's marriage, said a prison official.

According to the officials, he was released at 7 a.m. Friday. On December 12, a Delhi court had granted a seven-day interim bail to Khalid in the larger conspiracy of 2020 Delhi riots. He had filed a bail plea to attend his sister's marriage. Khalid had, however, sought bail for two weeks.

Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat passed the order making clear that the interim bail would start from December 23, and Khalid would have to surrender on December 30.

Khalid has been in custody since September 2020. He was earlier denied bail by a special bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Rajnish Bhatnagar on October 18.

Khalid on November 18, moved an application through Senior Advocate Trideep Pais for interim bail before a Delhi court.

Earlier, Delhi Police had opposed Khalid's application for bail saying that he might spread misinformation via social media and also likely to cause unrest in the society.

"The release of the applicant is further opposed as he is very likely to spread misinformation by use of social media during his interim bail period which cannot be prevented and is likely to cause unrest in the society. He may also influence witnesses," Police had said.

--IANS

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