A Delhi court denies bail to Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Sharjeel Imam and also framed sedition & other charges, including those under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), against him. While hearing his plea, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat ordered, “Vide separate order of even date, order on charge has been passed. Accused is accordingly directed to be charged for the offenses under Section 124A IPC, 153A IPC, 153B IPC, 505 IPC & 13 of UAPA. Vide separate order of even date, the application under Section 439 CrPC filed by accused Sharjeel Imam for grant of regular bail is dismissed.”
The prosecution alleges him of giving speeches at Jamia Milia Islamia on December 13, 2019, & at Aligarh Muslim University on December 16, 2019, where he threatened to cut off Assam & the rest of the Northeast from India. While seeking bail from the court, Imam through his counsel Advocate Tanvir Ahmed Mir had earlier sought discharge & bail in the case while submitting that he is not a terrorist & is not related to any terrorist organization. He was only a votary of social & economic equality having no political agenda. On the other hand, the prosecution claimed that his speeches incited hatred, contempt, & disaffection towards the Central Government & instigated the people which led to the violence.
Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet against Imam in the case, in which it is stated, “Imam, through his speeches, repeatedly incited the public to commit acts which would jeopardize public tranquility, attempts to cause disaffection towards a lawfully elected government of the country in the garb of democratically opposing the CAA. His oration and acts are seditious.”
