On December 2, 2025, the Supreme Court heard bail pleas of activists Gulfisha Fatima, Umar Khalid, and Sharjeel Imam involved in the 2020 Delhi riots case. They contested the Delhi Police’s claim that the violence was part of a coordinated "regime change operation," pointing out this claim is absent from the chargesheet. A Bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria listened to their pleas along with four others charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967. The Delhi High Court had earlier denied bail, citing a "grave" role and organized plan behind the riots that killed 53 people. Senior advocate A.M. Singhvi, representing Ms. Fatima, said she has spent nearly six years in custody, calling the extended detention "astonishing and unprecedented." He questioned, "Where have you alleged regime change as the heart of your chargesheet?" Singhvi also said continued detention of Ms. Fatima, the only woman in custody, serves no public interest. The Additional Solicitor-General, S.V. Raju, defended the police view that the riots were a nationwide conspiracy masked as protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. Kapil Sibal, arguing for Mr. Khalid, played a 2020 speech by him cited as conspiracy evidence. Sibal said Mr. Khalid urged peace and love, insisting his speech was not inflammatory, adding, "You cannot say that it is a terrorist act." Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, for Mr. Imam, challenged the label "dangerous intellectual terrorist," noting no convictions and pointing out Mr. Imam was in custody before the riots began. "This label has caused anguish to me," he said. Justice Kumar asked if such speeches could be terrorist acts. Dave replied they can’t amount to "criminal conspiracy" without an overt act. The Bench will continue hearing the case on December 3.