In a significant development, the Supreme Court on Monday denied the bail plea of student activist Gulfisha Fatima, linked to the 2020 North East Delhi riots, and directed the Delhi High Court to address the matter on November 25.
Fatima, detained for over four years, sought relief from the apex court amid delays at the High Court, where her bail request has lingered for two years. Represented by senior advocate Kapil Sibal, her plea highlighted repeated adjournments—24 due to the judge’s absence and six for other reasons—prompting concerns over her prolonged incarceration without trial.
Justices Bela M Trivedi and Satish Chandra Sharma, presiding over the matter, acknowledged the duration of Fatima’s custody and insisted that her bail petition, pending before the High Court, should proceed on the scheduled date barring exceptional circumstances.
“This is fundamentally a question of liberty,” argued Sibal, emphasizing the frequent deferments and the impact on Fatima, who faces charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for her alleged role in orchestrating the riots. These riots, occurring amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC), resulted in 53 fatalities and injuries to over 700 individuals.
