Gulfisha Fatima Delhi Riots Case: Who She Is, What She Was Accused Of and Latest Bail

The Supreme Court of India on Monday delivered a split decision in the long-running 2020 Delhi riots ‘larger conspiracy’ case, granting bail to several accused while denying relief to others. While bail pleas of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam were rejected, the top court granted bail to five other accused, including Gulfisha Fatima.

The Bench, comprising Justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria, held that the accused could not be treated on the same footing and that each bail plea required individual assessment. The court observed that Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam stood on a ‘qualitatively different footing’ in terms of alleged culpability.

Who is Gulfisha Fatima?

Gulfisha Fatima, born in 1993, is a Delhi-based student activist and former radio professional who rose to public prominence during the nationwide protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in 2019–2020. She hails from north-east Delhi and became particularly visible for her grassroots mobilisation work among women in areas such as Seelampur and Jafrabad.

Academically, Fatima holds a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in Urdu literature from Kirori Mal College, Delhi University, and later completed an MBA from the Institute of Management Education in Ghaziabad. During the anti-CAA protests, she was known for conducting awareness sessions, encouraging women’s participation, and even teaching basic English at protest sites.

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What was Gulfisha Fatima Accused of?

Following the communal violence that erupted in north-east Delhi in February 2020, Gulfisha Fatima was arrested on April 9, 2020. She was booked under multiple FIRs, including FIR 59/2020, which pertains to the so-called ‘larger conspiracy’ behind the riots.

The charges against her included rioting, criminal conspiracy, and serious offences under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). Investigating agencies alleged that she was part of a wider plan to incite violence under the guise of protests against the CAA. Fatima has consistently denied these allegations.

One of the most striking aspects of Gulfisha Fatima’s case has been the length of her incarceration. She spent close to five years in Tihar Jail without the commencement of a full trial in the UAPA case. During this period, she reportedly taught fellow inmates to read and write and wrote poetry, drawing attention from civil rights groups and academics.

Her prolonged detention also attracted international scrutiny, with organisations such as the United Nations and the US Commission on International Religious Freedom expressing concern and calling for her release, describing her arrest as an example of shrinking space for dissent.

Supreme Court Grants Bail

On January 5, 2026, the Supreme Court granted bail to Gulfisha Fatima, citing the extended period of incarceration and the principle that bail pleas must be assessed individually. While she had previously secured bail in some other cases linked to the riots, this order addressed her detention under the main UAPA conspiracy case.

The decision marks a significant legal relief for Fatima, even as the broader Delhi riots case continues to remain one of the most politically and legally contested episodes in recent Indian history.

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Image Courtesy: X (Twitter)