A Delhi court on Wednesday issued release orders for four accused who were granted bail by the Supreme Court in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case after fulfilling the bail conditions.

Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai accepted the bail bonds of Rs 2 lakh each, along with two local sureties of the same amount, furnished by Gulfisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, and Mohd Saleem Khan.

The court directed and issued their release orders. The fifth accused, Shadab Ahmad, who was also granted bail by the apex court on Monday, did not appear before the court to furnish his bail bonds.

The release order followed the submission of verification reports by the Delhi Police regarding all bond sureties and documents filed by the accused. The court noted that the accused had fulfilled all bail conditions imposed by the Supreme Court.

Earlier on Tuesday, the court had ordered the Delhi police to verify documents and sureties submitted by four of the five accused granted bail, delaying their release by a day.

The Supreme Court had refused bail to activists Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam but granted it to the five other accused, citing hierarchy of participation.

"There was a prima facie case against Khalid and Imam under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act," the bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N. V. Anjaria said. The apex court had imposed 11 conditions while granting bail.

If violated, the trial court may cancel the bail after hearing the accused. It ordered them to execute a personal bond of Rs 2 lakh with two local sureties of the same sum to the satisfaction of the trial court.

The court also directed the accused to remain within the National Capital Territory of Delhi and not leave without prior permission. Any travel request must state reasons and would be considered strictly on merits.

Additionally, the accused were directed to surrender their passports and furnish their current residential addresses, contact numbers, and e-mail addresses to the investigating officer and trial court.

The counsel for the accused requested three to four days to submit the details, stating that the mobile phones of the accused had not been functional for a long period. They assured the court that the details would be furnished once access is restored.

The court further ordered that the accused cannot directly or indirectly contact, influence, intimidate, or attempt to contact any witness or any person connected to the proceedings, nor associate with or participate in the activities of any group or organisation linked to the FIR.

Following the Supreme Court’s decision, another accused, Salim Malik alias Munna, filed a fresh bail application, arguing he faces similar charges and seeking parity.

The application before Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai stated that the Supreme Court had granted bail to another accused charged under similar charges, placing Malik on the same footing.

The application said the case against Malik "only situates him as a local operative associated with meetings at the Chand Bagh protest site," similar to co-accused Saleem Khan who was granted bail.

Malik was allegedly involved in arson at a car showroom in Bhajanpura on February 24, 2020.

"It is further submitted that the applicant (Salim Malik) stands on a similar footing as to the fact in, even in the case against the applicant, there is no material on record to suggest that 'autonomous authority over the larger conspiracy, nor any material to suggest that the applicant occupied a position from which strategic escalation," the bail application read.

The application added, "The activities alleged against Malik in the chargesheet also do not indicate that he functioned as a conduit between the principal architects and secondary actors beyond his immediate geographical sphere, as observed by the apex Court while granting bail to co-accused Saleem Khan."

"It is most respectfully prayed that the applicant be released on regular bail on account of parity with bail granted to co-accused Mohd. Saleem Khan vide order dated January 5, 2025, passed by the Supreme Court of India," the application stated.

Out of 20 accused, two remain absconding, and of the remaining 18, seven are still in prison, including Malik, Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, former Aam Aadmi Party leader Tahir Hussain, Athar Khan, Tasleem Ahmed, and Khalid Saifi.

Tahir Hussain’s bail application is pending in Karkardooma Court. Charges were framed against Malik on July 24, 2023, when the trial court said discharging him at the final stages of trial "would be unmerited."

"There was a prima facie case against Khalid and Imam under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act," the bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N V Anjaria had noted.