In a decisive judgment on the “larger conspiracy” behind the 2020 Delhi Riots, the Supreme Court has drawn a sharp legal line between “facilitators” and “architects.” The Bench granted conditional bail to activists Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa-ur-Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmed, ruling that their roles were primarily mobilisational. However, the Court firmly denied relief to Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam, identifying them as the “ideological drivers” at the helm of the alleged conspiracy.
For those released, freedom comes with a strict “digital curfew.” In a rare judicial move, the Court has prohibited them from using social media or messaging platforms to discuss the case and barred them from attending public rallies, warning that any violation will trigger immediate re-arrest. This high-stakes legal battle stems from the communal violence of February 2020, which claimed 53 lives during the anti-CAA protests. While the verdict ends years of incarceration for five accused, the continued detention of Khalid and Imam—combined with the gag order on the released—underscores the judiciary’s stringent approach to maintaining public order under the UAPA.
