On February 11, 2026, the Supreme Court asked the Delhi Police to respond to the bail plea of Tasleem Ahmed. Ahmed is accused in the “larger conspiracy” case related to the February 2020 Delhi riots. A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and P.B. Varale issued notice on Ahmed’s plea challenging the Delhi High Court’s order. The Delhi High Court had dismissed Ahmed’s bail application on September 2, 2025. The court said "delay in trial" alone is not enough to grant bail. It added that bail should not be given just because of long court delays, except if fundamental or constitutional rights are clearly violated. The High Court also noted that some accused who got bail were delaying trial arguments "at the cost of those accused persons who are in prison." Besides Tasleem Ahmed, activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam are also accused under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and Indian Penal Code (IPC) for allegedly masterminding the riots. The riots broke out during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC). The violence resulted in 53 deaths and over 700 injuries. The Supreme Court hearing signals a key move in this high-profile case as the legal battle continues.