Delhi High Court Notifies Sharjeel Imam’s Petition Against Trial Court’s Rejection of Statutory Bail
A notice has been issued by the Delhi High Court on a petition filed by Sharjeel Imam, contesting the trial court’s refusal to grant him statutory bail in a case related to the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and sedition.
A division bench led by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Manoj Jain has called for a response from the Delhi Police within two weeks. Further hearings have been slated for April. The case revolves around alleged provocative speeches made by Imam at Aligarh Muslim University and in the Jamia area of Delhi against the Citizenship Amendment Act.
Imam had sought statutory bail, arguing that he had served half of the maximum seven-year sentence. However, the trial court dismissed his plea on February 17, citing his speeches and actions as incitement for public disturbance, potentially contributing to the 2020 Delhi riots.
Initially charged under FIR 22 of 2020 by the Delhi Police’s Special Branch for sedition, Imam later faced charges under Section 13 of the UAPA. He has been in custody since January 28, 2020.
Previous statements from the trial court highlighted Imam’s speeches and actions’ disruptive impact on the national capital, possibly fueling the riots. The court underscored Imam’s adept use of inflammatory rhetoric and social media to stir up public unrest.
Imam was formally charged in January last year under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) including sedition (Section 124A), promoting enmity between different groups (Section 153A), assertions prejudicial to national integration (Section 153B), and statements conducing to public mischief (Section 505), alongside Section 13 of the UAPA.
In June 2023, Imam had appealed to the Delhi High Court contesting the proceedings against him in two separate cases stemming from the same speech delivered at Jamia Millia Islamia University in December 2019. This matter remains pending before the court for adjudication.
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