A Delhi court has allowed student activist Umar Khalid, who is lodged in jail in connection with the 2020 northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, to have two weekly video meetings with his mother and other family members. The court noted that Khalid had been using the facility for nearly six years without violating any prison rules.

Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Courts passed the order while hearing an application filed by Khalid seeking restoration of two weekly e-mulakat facilities. The court observed that he had regularly availed two video meetings per week since being lodged in jail and had not breached any provisions of the Delhi Prison Rules.

Khalid had approached the court after the facility was reduced to one e-mulakat per week from May 2026. His counsel argued that the restriction was imposed despite there being no violation of prison regulations by him. The jail authorities opposed the application, stating that under the existing rules, Khalid was entitled to only one e-mulakat per week and that the earlier arrangement allowing two meetings had been discontinued.

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After examining the submissions, the court held that Khalid’s previous conduct and continued compliance with prison rules justified restoring the earlier arrangement. It directed that he be permitted two e-mulakats every week to communicate with his mother and other family members and ordered that a copy of the decision be sent to the concerned Central Jail authorities.

The order comes amid ongoing proceedings in the larger conspiracy case related to the communal violence that broke out in northeast Delhi in February 2020. Khalid and several others have been booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other criminal provisions. Earlier this month, a Delhi court had dismissed regular bail pleas filed by Khalid and co-accused Sharjeel Imam, citing the Supreme Court’s earlier order declining them bail.

The Supreme Court had previously held that prosecution material in the case disclosed prima facie grounds attracting restrictions under Section 43D(5) of the UAPA. However, the apex court has also recently considered issues related to prolonged incarceration and delays in trials, granting interim bail to some other accused while referring questions regarding bail under UAPA provisions to a larger Bench. The matter continues to remain under judicial consideration.

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