A Delhi court has permitted activist Umar Khalid, an accused in the larger conspiracy case related to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, to continue having two video meetings (e-mulakats) with his family every week.

Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Court passed the order on July 13 while hearing an application filed by Mr. Khalid, who had sought restoration of the facility after it was reduced to one weekly e-mulakat from May 2026.

Counsel for Mr. Khalid submitted that he had been permitted two weekly e-mulakats since the beginning of his incarceration and that the number had been reduced to one without any stated reason, despite there being no breach of prison rules on his part.

The jail authorities opposed the plea, arguing that the Delhi Prison Rules provide for only one e-mulakat every week.

The Delhi Police opposed the plea, raising security concerns over regular communication.

The court, however, held that the supervised video meetings would adequately address those concerns while taking into account humanitarian considerations. It held that the accused had complied with prison regulations while availing the facility.

“Since the applicant has been using two e-mulakats in a week for the last six years and has not violated any rule of the Delhi Prisons Rules, 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 said.

Mr Khalid is facing trial under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and provisions of the Indian Penal Code in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots. He is in jail for around six years.

The riots, which took place amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), resulted in the deaths of 53 people and left more than 700 injured. The trial in the larger conspiracy case is ongoing.

Published - July 16, 2026 05:56 am IST