Delhi High Court grants bail to activist Sharjeel Imam in 2020 sedition case

Delhi High Court grants bail to activist Sharjeel Imam in 2020 sedition case

The Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted statutory bail to activist Sharjeel Imam in a UAPA and sedition case relating to the alleged inflammatory speeches made by him in Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia area in the national capital against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

A division bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Manoj Jain allowed Imam’s bail plea. The activist had challenged the trial court order denying him statutory bail in the case.

He had sought bail on the ground of having undergone one half of the maximum seven years punishment. However, he will remain in jail in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case involving UAPA charges.

Appearing for Imam, Advocate Talib Mustafa contended that Imam has already undergone four years and seven months of incarceration out of the seven years of maximum imprisonment.

Opposing the plea, SPP Rajat Nair representing the Delhi Police said that Imam had not undergone half sentence. He added that the case was squarely covered by the explanation to Section 436A of CrPC and therefore, he was not entitled to any statutory bail.

The SSP further said that the delayed period of pre-trial detention was solely attributable to Imam on whose instance the trial was stayed in 2022. However, the court allowed the plea after taking note of various lists of dates, including the date of framing of charges and examination of witnesses.

Earlier on February 17, the trial court dismissed his plea observing that his speeches and activities mobilised the public which disrupted Delhi and might be the main reason for the outbreak of the 2020 riots. He was booked under FIR 22 of 2020 registered by Delhi Police’s Special Branch. He has been in custody since January 28, 2020.



from India Legal https://ift.tt/DQVSix5

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