Gulfisha Fatima moves Supreme Court against high court's refusal of bail in delhi riots conspiracy case

Student activist Gulfisha Fatima has moved the Supreme Court challenging the Delhi High Court’s recent order refusing her bail in the 2020 Delhi riots “larger conspiracy” case.

Fatima, who played an active role in the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), was arrested on April 9, 2020, and has remained in custody since then under allegations invoking provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). According to the chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police, she, along with several others, is alleged to have been part of a wider conspiracy that triggered the communal violence in the national capital in late February 2020.

On September 2, a division bench of the High Court dismissed the bail applications of Fatima and eight co-accused in a common order. Sharjeel Imam has also assailed the High Court’s ruling before the Supreme Court. Other accused in the case include former councillor Tahir Hussain, activist Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Ishrat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar, Devangana Kalita, Faizan Khan, and Natasha Narwal.

Earlier, in June 2020, Safoora Zargar was granted bail on humanitarian grounds due to her pregnancy. Subsequently, in June 2021, the High Court, after considering the merits, extended bail to Asif Iqbal Tanha, Devangana Kalita, and Natasha Narwal.