Delhi High Court Issues Notice On Sharjeel Imam's Plea Challenging Framing Of Charges In 2019 Anti-CAA Protest Case

Sharjeel Imam on Thursday moved the Delhi High Court challenging framing of charges against him in a case concerning the alleged violence during the 2019 anti CAA protests in city's Jamia Nagar area.

Justice Sanjeev Narula issued notice on the plea and sought response of the Delhi Police in the matter.

Imam was represented by Advocates Talib Mustafa and Ahmad Ibrahim.

Mustafa submitted that along with the plea, Imam has also filed an application seeking ad interim stay of the impugned order. However, the Court said that it was not staying order as of now and will wait for the prosecution's reply.

The Court also issued notice on Imam's plea seeking stay of the order and listed the matter on April 24 when Imam's plea concerning the same speech is pending adjudication.

Earlier this month, the trial court had framed charges in the case against Imam, Asif Iqbal Tanha and 9 other men. The Court had observed that Sharjeel Imam was not only an instigator but also was the kingpin of larger conspiracy to incite violence.

The trial court said that being a senior Ph.D student, Sharjeel Imam “craftily” clothed his speech in which he “avoided” the mention of communities other than Muslim community but the intended victims of chakka jaam were members of communities other than Muslim community.

It had added that Imam's speech was calculated to evoke anger and hatred, the natural consequence of which was commission of wide-spread violence by members of unlawful assembly on public roads.

The judge added that Sharjeel's speech was “venomous” and pitted one religion against another. It was, indeed, a hate speech, the Trial Court said.

The development ensued in FIR 242 of 2019 registered in NFC police station. It was alleged that during the protests, around 41 vehicles, including government vehicles and private vehicles, were damaged by unlawful assembly and stones were pelted at police officials.