Gulfisha Fatima, one of the accused in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case, walked out of Tihar Jail on Wednesday, hours after a Delhi court issued formal release orders following bail granted by the Supreme Court. Her release was confirmed after the trial court verified that all bail conditions had been fulfilled.
Videos circulating online show Fatima exiting the prison carrying a bag, as family members and supporters welcomed her outside the jail gates. The visuals capture an emotional reunion as she was garlanded, showered with flower petals, hugged and offered sweets by her relatives, who had been waiting for hours for her release. The video of the grand welcome has since gone viral on social media platforms.
Fatima’s release came after the trial court confirmed compliance with the conditions imposed by the apex court. Earlier in the day, the court had issued release orders for four of the five accused granted bail, after they furnished bail bonds of Rs 2 lakh each along with two local sureties. The court passed the orders after Delhi Police submitted verification reports of the sureties and related documents, noting that all stipulated requirements had been met.
The fifth accused, although granted bail by the Supreme Court on Monday, did not appear before the trial court to complete bail formalities. Meanwhile, the remaining three accused who were granted bail are expected to be released once procedural steps are completed.
On Monday, the Supreme Court considered bail pleas in the larger conspiracy case linked to the February 2020 riots. While it denied relief to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, observing that a prima facie case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) was made out against them, it granted bail to five other accused, citing a hierarchy of roles in the alleged conspiracy.
In Gulfisha Fatima’s case, the bench drew a clear distinction between allegations of involvement and the degree of control attributed to her. The court observed that while she was alleged to have mobilised local women and helped coordinate logistics at protest sites, there was no material at this stage to show that she exercised independent command, controlled resources, or had strategic oversight over multiple protest locations. The prosecution itself, the court noted, claimed that instructions were passed down to her by individuals higher in the alleged hierarchy.
The Supreme Court directed the trial court to expedite the bail process and imposed 11 conditions, warning that any misuse of liberty would result in cancellation of bail.
7 Still Lodged In Jail In Delhi Riots Case
The northeast Delhi riots, which erupted in February 2020 amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the proposed National Register of Citizens (NRC), left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. Of the 20 accused named in the conspiracy case, two remain absconding. Seven, including Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and Tahir Hussain, are still lodged in jail.
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