‘We Are Ecstatic’: Khalid Saifi Granted Bail in Delhi Riots Case

This is the second time bail was moved for this specific case by Khalid’s lawyers, about two months ago on 17 July.

This is Khalid’s family, his wife Nargis and three children. While the kids know that their father is in jail, they are not aware about the custodial torture, his wife says.

(Photo: The Quint)

United Against Hate founder Khalid Saifi's second attempt for bail under FIR 44, registered under Jagatpuri police station on 26 February, was granted by additional sessions judge Amitabh Rawat in Karkardooma court on 11 September.

“I can not contain my happiness right now. I am extremely happy and the kids are so excited about him getting bail too. We were all waiting for this for about two months,”
Saifi’s wife, 33-year-old Nargis Saifi, told The Quint after hearing the news. The bail plea was moved, the second time for this specific case, by Khalid’s lawyers on 17 July

“Meri chhe saal ki beti ne jab suna toh usne poocha ki kya abba kal ghar aajayenge Mene us ko bola abhi thoda or intzaar karna he pr bahot jald hi abbu aapke paas aa jayengey (My six-year-old daughter asked me if her father was going to come home tomorrow, I told her she should wait for a little longer but he will be home very soon),” Nargis says, adding that this has given her the strength and hope to believe that good things will happen.

The wait to see her father is due to two other FIRs where Saifi is name as an accused, and therefore will continue to be lodged in jail. They are FIR 101 under Khajuri Khas police station and FIR 59, where the anti-terror law UAPA has been invoked.

In the case, Saifi has been booked under Section 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 186 (obstructing pubic servant from discharging public functions), 353 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), 332 (voluntarily causing hurt), 307 (attempt to murder), 109 (punishment of abetment if the act abetted is committed in consequence and where no express provision is made for its punishment), 34 (common intention) of the IPC and Section 25/27 of the Arms Act.

Saifi’s first bail plea under this FIR was moved on 18 March. The Karkadooma court had dismissed the bail plea then on the ground that investigation was still pending in the case. Over a month later, the police filed the charge sheet in the case on 20 April.