More than five years after the violence that shook Northeast Delhi in February 2020, the legal spotlight has once again turned to the Delhi riots conspiracy case. On January 7, 2026, Delhi’s Karkardooma Court issued formal release orders for four accused—Shifa Ur Rehman, Meeran Haider, Mohammad Salim Khan, and Gulfisha Fatima—following a landmark bail decision by the Supreme Court earlier this week. A fifth accused, Shadab Ahmad, has also been granted bail by the apex court, though his release may be delayed as he is yet to complete bail formalities.

The Supreme Court’s order has drawn wide attention because it came with a clear distinction. While granting bail to these five accused, the court refused similar relief to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, observing that the latter two stood on a “higher footing in the hierarchy of participation” in the alleged conspiracy behind the riots. The ruling has reignited debate around the case, the prolonged incarceration of the accused, and the slow pace of trials under stringent laws such as the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Here is a detailed look at who the five accused are, the allegations against them, and why the Supreme Court decided to grant them bail.

Background: The 2020 Delhi Riots Case

The 2020 Delhi riots, which erupted amid protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), left at least 53 people dead and hundreds injured, with large-scale damage to property. Delhi Police later alleged that the violence was not spontaneous but the result of a “larger conspiracy” to disrupt the national capital.

Several activists, students, and protest organisers were arrested under stringent provisions of the Indian Penal Code and the UAPA. Many of them have remained in custody for years, with trials yet to begin or progress meaningfully. The Supreme Court, while hearing multiple bail pleas, has repeatedly flagged concerns over prolonged incarceration without trial, even as it has maintained that the seriousness of allegations cannot be ignored.

Supreme Court’s Bail Rationale

In granting bail to the five accused, the Supreme Court underscored that their alleged roles did not indicate independent command, strategic oversight, or control over resources across multiple protest sites. This, the bench said, distinguished them from accused like Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, whose alleged roles were considered more central to the purported conspiracy.

The court also took note of the fact that the accused had spent several years in jail and that the trial was unlikely to conclude in the near future. However, it made clear that bail did not amount to an acquittal and imposed stringent conditions to ensure compliance with the law.

Gulfisha Fatima

Gulfisha Fatima, an MBA graduate and resident of Delhi, is among the most prominent names in the case. She was arrested after an FIR was registered at Jaffrabad police station, invoking charges such as murder, rioting, unlawful assembly, and sedition. Police alleged that she was part of the conspiracy that led to the riots in Northeast Delhi.

Fatima was associated with Pinjra Tod, a collective of women students and alumni that had been active during protests against the CAA. The police alleged that Pinjra Tod played a role in planning and coordinating protest activities. Gulfisha was one of 18 individuals arrested for allegedly being part of the broader conspiracy.

While granting her bail, the Supreme Court observed that Fatima did not appear to have exercised independent command or strategic control over protest sites. The court noted that her alleged role did not place her at the top of the organisational hierarchy claimed by the prosecution.

Meeran Haider

Meeran Haider, a former student of Jamia Millia Islamia, has been active in student and youth politics for several years. He also served as a youth wing leader of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). Before his arrest, Haider was closely associated with student-led protests against the CAA.

Delhi Police arrested Haider on April 1, 2020, alleging that he was a key member of the Jamia Coordination Committee (JCC), which they claimed played a significant role in organising protest sites during the period leading up to the riots. According to police, the JCC was instrumental in coordinating demonstrations across different locations.

Haider’s name appeared in the fourth supplementary chargesheet filed by the police, as reported by The Indian Express. Despite multiple chargesheets being filed, the trial in the case has yet to begin. The Supreme Court, while granting him bail, took into account the prolonged pre-trial detention and the absence of a clearly established leadership role.

Shifa Ur Rehman

Shifa Ur Rehman was the president of the Alumni Association of Jamia Millia Islamia (AAJMI) at the time of his arrest. A former student of Jamia, Rehman completed his studies in 2001 but remained actively engaged with the university’s alumni network.

He was arrested on April 26, 2020, with Delhi Police alleging that he, along with Meeran Haider, received funds as part of what the prosecution describes as a “larger conspiracy” behind the riots. The police claim these funds were used to organise and sustain protest activities.

Rehman has remained in the public eye even while incarcerated. He contested the recent Delhi Assembly elections from the Okhla constituency on an AIMIM ticket, a move that further polarised opinion around his case. The Supreme Court, however, confined itself strictly to legal considerations, focusing on the nature of evidence and the length of incarceration while granting bail.

Mohammad Salim Khan

Mohammad Salim Khan, a resident of Chand Bagh in Mustafabad, East Delhi, was running a garment export business before his arrest. According to the police, Khan was one of the main organisers at the Chand Bagh anti-CAA protest site.

The prosecution has accused Khan of delivering speeches that allegedly instigated members of the Muslim community. Police have cited witness statements and other material to support their claim that Khan played a role in mobilising crowds during the protests.

In granting bail, the Supreme Court appeared to weigh the gravity of the allegations against the lack of progress in trial proceedings, concluding that continued incarceration was not justified at this stage.

Shadab Ahmad

Shadab Ahmad, another accused linked to the Chand Bagh protest site, worked at a manufacturing company in Delhi’s Jagatpuri area and had been living there since 2017. He was active in anti-CAA protests and was later named in the riots conspiracy case.

Although the Supreme Court has granted him bail, Shadab Ahmad did not appear before the Karkardooma Court to furnish his bail bonds. As a result, his release may be delayed until he completes the necessary formalities.

Bail Conditions and What Lies Ahead

The trial court has imposed 11 conditions as part of the bail order. Each accused is required to furnish a bail bond of ₹2 lakh along with two local sureties of the same amount. The release orders were issued only after Delhi Police submitted verification reports of the sureties and documents filed by the accused.

The court has also made it clear that any violation of bail conditions could lead to cancellation of bail after giving the accused an opportunity to be heard.

While the release of these five accused marks a significant development, the larger case remains unresolved. With Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam still in custody and the trial yet to begin in earnest, the Delhi riots conspiracy case continues to raise critical questions about justice, due process, and the balance between national security laws and personal liberty.