The Delhi High Court granted bail to JNU scholar Sharjeel Imam on Wednesday, May 29, in a case concerning the 2020 communal riots. The decision, made by a bench of Justices Suresh Kumar Kait and Manoj Jain, comes after Imam had been charged with sedition and unlawful activities for allegedly making provocative speeches during the riots at Jamia Millia Islamia and Aligarh Muslim University.
Imam had appealed against a trial court’s earlier denial of bail, arguing that he had already served more than half of the maximum potential sentence for the charges under Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The prosecution claimed that Imam’s speeches in December 2019 threatened to sever Assam and the Northeast from India, which led to his initial booking for sedition, later escalating to charges under the UAPA. Imam has been in custody since January 28, 2020.
Despite his lengthy detention, the trial court had previously rejected Imam’s bail plea on February 17, stating there could be “exceptional circumstances” warranting extended custody. Imam faces multiple charges linked to the 2020 communal riots, including allegations of being part of a larger conspiracy behind the violence.
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