Sharjeel Imam Granted Bail in 2020 Sedition Case

Delhi High Court Reverses Trial Court's Denial After Four Years in Detention

The Delhi High Court granted bail to activist Sharjeel Imam today, nearly four and a half years after his arrest on charges of delivering inflammatory speeches. He had challenged a trial court's refusal of bail, citing that he had already served more than half of the maximum sentence he could receive if convicted.

A research scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University, Sharjeel Imam was arrested in January 2020 following a sedition case filed against him for purportedly advocating to sever the Northeast from the rest of India during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Legal actions were initiated against him in multiple states, including Delhi, Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh, and Uttar Pradesh.

As per Delhi Police reports, Sharjeel Imam delivered divisive speeches at gatherings held in Jamia Millia Islamia University and Aligarh Muslim University. He was purportedly involved in organizing the protest at Delhi's Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

During arguments before the high court bench of Justice Suresh Kumar Kait and Justice Manoj Jain, the prosecution asserted that Sharjeel Imam had purportedly threatened to sever the Northeast from the country in his speeches. Imam faced charges under the IPC section pertaining to sedition, and Section 13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act was also invoked against him.

In his plea for bail, the activist informed the court that the maximum sentence under Section 13 of UAPA is seven years, and he has already been in custody for over four years. Previously, a trial court had denied him bail, citing the possibility of extending an accused's custody in "exceptional circumstances."

Additionally, Imam is implicated in several cases related to the 2020 riots in North-east Delhi.