On Saturday 26th March 2022, a Delhi court directed to initiate trial against Sharjeel Imam in a case related to sedition and other charges. The Karkardooma court deferred the verdict on the bail of North East Delhi riots accused Sharjeel Imam and Khalid Saifi. The court of Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat will pronounce the verdict on the bail of Sharjeel on March 30 and Khalid Saifi on March 31. Sharjeel Imam was physically produced in the court on Saturday 26th March 2022.
Charges have already been framed against Sharjeel Imam under other sections including sedition. The lower court’s decision on Sharjeel Imam in the case has been challenged in the Delhi High Court. Delhi Police has contended that Sharjeel Imam should not be granted bail in view of the sensitivity of the case; because if this happens, the accused can escape the process of law and also threaten witnesses.
The court order said, “This is a case under UAPA. Since the bail has been denied to the accused on 24th January 2022 and this Court had suggested that the trial of this case shall be completed expeditiously, the Court proposes to do a day to day hearing of this matter.”
The charge sheet against Sharjeel Imam reads, “He is accused of delivering seditious speeches and inciting a particular section of the community to indulge in unlawful activities, detrimental to sovereignty and integrity of the nation.”
It further specifies, “In the garb of protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act, he exhorted people of a particular community to block the highways leading to the major cities and resort to ‘Chakka Jam’, thereby disrupting normal life.”
On 24th January 2022, an East Delhi court had framed charges against Sharjeel Imam under several relevant sections of the IPC, including Sections 124A, 153A, 153B, 505 IPC. Sharjeel Imam is one of the key conspirators of the so-called Shaheen Bagh protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) which led to the anti-Hindu Delhi riots of 2020 and he is also alleged to have talked about separating the narrow terrain, the Chikan Neck area, which connects Assam with the rest of the country, in his speech. Sharjeel was also booked by the Special Cell of Delhi Police under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
