Preparations underway to welcome Shifa Ur Rehman after SC grants bail: Wife Nooreen Fatima

New Delhi, Jan 5 (IANS) Following the Supreme Court’s decision to grant bail to Shifa Ur Rehman in a case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots, his wife Nooreen Fatima on Monday said that preparations are underway and that he will soon be able to meet family members and well-wishers, subject to compliance with the bail conditions.

Speaking to IANS, Nooreen Fatima said the family is waiting to carefully study the bail order before taking any further steps. “Preparations are underway, and God willing, he will come and meet everyone. However, there are certain conditions. Once we read the bail orders, we will decide how to proceed, as we must fully comply with them. Everything will be done within the framework of law and order,” she said.

Expressing relief and happiness, she added that the family is looking forward to reuniting after a long period.

“I cannot say much more at this moment. But his mother is very happy, and his sisters will also come. Friends and other relatives will be there as well. Finally, everyone will be able to meet him,” she told IANS.

Earlier in the day, the Supreme Court denied bail to student activists Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid, citing sufficient material provided by the prosecution to indicate their alleged involvement in a criminal conspiracy related to the 2020 north-east Delhi riots. At the same time, the apex court granted bail to five other accused in the case—Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Shadab Ahmed.

All seven individuals had challenged the Delhi High Court’s earlier order denying them bail under the stringent provisions of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The case pertains to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the violence that erupted in parts of Delhi in February 2020.

A Bench led by Justice Aravind Kumar read out a detailed judgment before pronouncing the verdict. While rejecting the bail applications of Khalid and Imam, the Supreme Court observed that it was satisfied the prosecution had placed enough material on record to suggest their involvement in the alleged conspiracy.

The court also emphasised that bail decisions must be based on the specific role attributed to each accused. “Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam stand on a qualitatively different footing as compared to other accused,” the Bench said.

“The hierarchy of participation requires the court to assess each application individually.”

The technical bits of the judgment included observations such as: Bail is not a forum for evaluating defences; judicial restraint is not an abdication of duty; the correct application requires the court to undertake a structured enquiry to check whether it discloses prima facie offences, and whether the role of the accused has a reasonable nexus to the offence.

jk/rad