[Delhi Riots] No Call For Violence In Speeches, No Connection With Co-Conspirators: Sharjeel Imam To High Court

Sharjeel Imam, accused in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, on Thursday told the Delhi High Court that there was no call for violence in his public speeches.

Imam's counsel told a division bench comprising of Justice Navin Chawla and Justice Shalinder Kaur that there were “repeated calls” for non violence in the speeches.

"There is no call for violence in any of my speeches….There are repeated calls for non-violence," the counsel said.

He added that there were no chats or calls between Imam and any of the alleged co-conspirators.

“No chats, no calls with any of the co-conspirators in the case. Yet they rely on my chats to implicate me. There is nothing in my chats to remotely suggest that I intended to incite any violence...,” the counsel submitted.

He also said that Imam was the only individual who has no connection with anyone at all.

The bench was hearing Imam's plea seeking bail in the UAPA case. He has challenged the trial court order denying him relief in the case.

Imam's counsel told Court that he has remained in jail for five years and had no running with the law in the cases against him.

It was also submitted that Imam is out on bail in four other cases registered against him over his public speeches.

“There is a rich history of chakka jam being used as an effective method of protest in the country pre and post independence. There was no reference to any violence," the counsel said.

The matter will now be heard on December 20.

The bench is hearing the bail pleas filed by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Shifa ur Rehman, Shadab Ahmed, Athar Khan, Khalid Saifi and Gulfisha Fatima. 

Delhi Police's appeal against bail granted to accused Ishrat Jahan is also listed in the batch.

The new division bench was allotted the bail appeals after previous benches have either recused from hearing them or could not completely hear and decide the cases.

FIR 59 of 2020 was registered by Delhi Police's Special Cell under various offences under the Indian Penal Code, 1860 and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.

The accused in the case are Tahir Hussain, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Isharat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar, Sharjeel Imam, Faizan Khan and Natasha Narwal.

Title: Sharjeel Imam v. State