A Delhi court on Tuesday granted seven-day interim bail to student activist Sharjeel Imam to enable him to attend his cousin’s wedding.
The interim bail will remain in effect from October 4 to October 10, according to the court order reported by Hindustan Times and other news outlets.
The temporary relief was granted by Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Courts in connection with the larger-conspiracy case linked to the February 2020 North-East Delhi riots.
Imam Has Been in Custody Since 2020
Imam was arrested by Delhi Police on January 28, 2020 and booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) in connection with allegations of involvement in the larger conspiracy behind the riots.
The February 2020 violence in North-East Delhi left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured, according to recent court-reporting records.
The allegations against Imam remain part of the ongoing criminal proceedings; the interim bail does not determine the merits of those allegations.
Regular Bail Pleas Pending
The temporary release comes as Imam’s regular bail proceedings remain pending before the Delhi High Court.
The High Court has listed the bail pleas of Imam and co-accused Umar Khalid for hearing on September 30. The matter was adjourned after the Delhi Police sought more time.
Earlier, in July, a Delhi trial court had rejected fresh regular bail applications filed by Imam and Khalid, citing the Supreme Court’s January 2026 order and the conditions laid down for renewing their bail pleas.
Supreme Court Bail Proceedings
The Supreme Court had in January denied bail to Imam and Khalid in the larger-conspiracy case while granting relief to five other accused.
In May, another Supreme Court bench referred the question concerning the earlier bail ruling to a larger bench after expressing concerns over differing interpretations of an earlier judgment concerning bail under the UAPA.
The legal proceedings concerning regular bail therefore remain separate from the latest seven-day interim relief granted specifically for the family wedding.
What Happens During the Interim Bail Period?
Imam’s latest temporary release is limited to the period October 4-10 and was granted for the stated purpose of attending his cousin’s wedding.
The written order granting the interim bail had not been made available at the time of the Hindustan Times report.
