New Delhi: For Noorain Fatima, Monday passed in a blur of phone calls. From early morning, her phone kept ringing — relatives, friends, acquaintances, all seeking confirmation, all sharing in her relief. She answered every call. “I don’t mind attending them today,” she said. “I am just happy.”The reason for the outpouring was a long-awaited decision: after spending six years in prison, five of the seven accused arrested under a stringent anti-terror law in connection with the 2020 protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act were granted bail on Monday, bringing cautious relief to their families.
Among those granted bail was Noorain’s husband, Shifa-ur-Rehman. “I thank the Supreme Court and everyone who helped us. Our year has begun with happy news,” she said. “We always had faith that the Supreme Court would do justice.”Rehman, a human rights defender and former president of the alumni association of Jamia Millia Islamia, was arrested on April 26, 2020. The case against him invoked multiple serious charges, including murder, sedition and committing a terrorist act. Originally from Sathla village in Meerut, UP, Rehman moved to Delhi as a student and later completed a BBA in 1999 and a Master of Commerce degree in 2001. A father of two sons, now aged 12 and 14, his prolonged incarceration, Noorain said, had made the past six years “tough and painful”. “I am especially relieved that he will finally be coming home,” she said, adding that the family had lived with uncertainty for years.For the mother of Gulfisha Fatima, fondly known as “Gul”, the news was equally overwhelming. Gulfisha, the lone woman among the seven accused, was arrested on April 4, 2020, when she was just 26 years old.Back in 2023, her mother had expressed fears that years in prison had left her daughter “so weak” that she could barely observe roza. Two more years passed have passed since. On Monday, she said she was simply thankful and waiting for the court’s formal order so that the bail conditions could be “followed accordingly”.“I am happy she will be home after six years. We have made all the arrangements for our daughter to receive her on Wednesday,” she said, adding that she had always believed her prayers would be answered.However, even as relief set in, their thoughts remained with Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam whose bail pleas were rejected. “Those who are sad today, we pray that they also receive good news in the days to come,” Noorain said.Apart from Shifa-ur-Rehman and Gulfisha Fatima, bail was also granted to Meeran Haider, Mohd Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed, all of whom were arrested between April and June 2020. For their families, Monday brought not just closure, but a rare moment of hope after years of waiting.
