2020 Delhi Riots| ‘Where Is the Regime-Change Plot in Your Chargesheet?’: Gulfisha Fatima Tells Supreme Court
Gulfisha Fatima challenged her prolonged incarceration before the Supreme Court, questioning Delhi Police’s claims of a “regime change” conspiracy in the 2020 Delhi riots case
SC hearing on Gulfisha Fatima’s bail plea in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, where her counsel questioned the basis of Delhi Police’s “regime change operation” claim
2020 Delhi Riots Accused, Gulfisha Fatima urged the Supreme Court on Tuesday to grant her bail in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, arguing that she cannot be kept in “endless custody” when the allegations now advanced by the prosecution find no reflection in the chargesheet.
Appearing before the Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria, Senior Advocate Dr. Abhishek Manu Singhvi said Fatima has spent nearly six years in prison while charges are yet to be framed. He described the delay as “astonishing and unprecedented,” noting that the prosecution has cited 939 witnesses.
Singhvi questioned the Delhi Police’s assertion that the riots were part of a coordinated “regime change operation,” pointing out that “not a word of it appears in the chargesheet.” He also challenged the claim of a pan-India conspiracy “to separate Assam from India,” calling it equally baseless. “What is the evidence? What is the foundation?” he asked.
The Senior Counsel contended, "Where have you (delhi police) said regime change as the heart of your chargesheet? This is to give a bad name and hang a dog and then do everything possible....Regime Change is nowhere in the thousand pages chargesheet, which is found in the counter. The object of the prosecutor canteen be to keep me inside by hook or by crook."
Singhvi argued that Fatima’s case stands on even weaker footing than that of co-accused Natasha Narwal, and Devangana Kalita, who were granted bail in 2021. “Fatima is the only woman still in jail. There was no recovery, no chilli powder, no acid, nothing. Even the so-called ‘secret meeting’ was allegedly uploaded on social media,” he submitted.
He submitted that the prosecution has not substantiated its allegations and that the prolonged incarceration violates fundamental rights, especially when trial progress remains stagnant.
On the issue of delay, Singhvi argued that there has been no delay on Gulfisha's part; it’s a travesty and a false misrepresentation. Singhvi concluding for Gulfisha Fatima submitted, "There is no possibility of any criminal justice system being violated."
The Bench will continue hearing rejoinder submissions of other accused persons.
Notably, on November 21, ASG Raju had strongly opposed the bail requests, asserting that the violence that rocked Northeast Delhi was not a peaceful protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act but part of a “well-planned conspiracy” to spark unrest and destabilise the government. He submitted that 53 people were killed and over 530 injured during days of violence that included arson, stone-pelting, acid attacks and use of firearms and chemicals. Public property was extensively damaged, including police vehicles, DTC buses and multiple structures, he said. On November 20, Raju had argued that the narrative of Imam and others being “educated scholars” unfairly targeted by the state was misleading, and that those who intellectually guide violence are “far more dangerous” than ground-level actors.
On November 3, the six UAPA accused, concluded their arguments before the Court in their pleas seeking bail.
Case Title: Gulfisha Fatima v. State of NCT of Delhi and connected matters
Hearing Date: December 2, 2025
Bench: Justice Aravind Kumar and Justice NV Anjaria