Former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Umar Khalid was released from the Tihar jail here on Friday after he was granted interim bail for a week to attend his sister's wedding, officials said.
According to prison officials, Khalid was released on Friday morning.
Khalid has been granted bail till December 30. The former student leader had moved an application seeking interim bail for two weeks to attend his sister's wedding.
Umar Khalid was given interim bail by Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat for one week beginning on December 23, and he must surrender himself in on December 30 without requesting an extension. If allowed to attend his sister's wedding, he would not speak to the media or interact with the public, his attorneys had verbally assured the court.
“However, despite the verification of the fact of solemnisation of marriage, the interim bail of the applicant is strongly opposed as he is facing very serious charges under UAPA and his regular bail application has been dismissed by this court and appeal thereof was dismissed by a division bench of the Delhi High Court,” the police had argued in court.
Khalid was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being a mastermind of the February 2020 riots, which had left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured.
The violence had erupted during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Khalid was arrested by the Delhi Police in September 2020, and this is the first time Khalid will walk out of Tihar since he was jailed two years ago.
(With Inputs From PTI)
