Sedition Case: Delhi High Court Issues Notice On Sharjeel Imam's Plea Seeking Interim Bail, Status Report Sought

The Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice on the interim bail plea filed by Sharjeel Imam in a sedition case (FIR 22/2020) relating to the alleged inflammatory speeches made by him in Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia area in Delhi against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

A Trial Court on Saturday last week rejected Imam's interim bail plea which was filed in view of recent Apex Court order wherein the sedition law has been kept in abeyance till the Union Government reconsiders the provision.

A division bench headed by Justice Mukta Gupta also issued on another plea filed by Sharjeel challenging Trial Court order refusing to stay trial in the case.

The Court sought status report to be filed by the Delhi Police within two weeks, while posting the matter for further hearing on August 25.

While denying interim bail to Sharjeel Imam, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat of the Karkardooma Courts observed that there cannot be another bail application by Imam and another arguments on the merits of the bail application, when the Court has already passed the order denying him regular bail as well as framing of charges against him on merits.

On the point of continuation of trial, the Court had said saif that in view of the Supreme Court order, the pending trials with respect to the charges framed under sec. 124A IPC have been kept in abeyance; however, adjudication with respect to other Sections can proceed if the court is of the opinion that no prejudice would be caused to the accused.

"Thus, there is no total embargo on continuance of trial in a case involving various offences including Section 124A IPC. In the present case, the trial is continuing against accused Sharjeel Imam not only in respect of offence under Section 124A IPC but also for the offence under Section 153A IPC, 153B IPC, 505 IPC & 13 UAPA," it had added.

Imam was booked vide FIR 22/2020 by the Delhi Police. The alleged offence under UAPA was added later. The FIR relates to the alleged inflammatory speeches made by him in Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia area in Delhi against the Citizenship Amendment Act

The Court had framed charges against Imam in the matter under Sections 124A (sedition), 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, etc.), 153B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration), 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) of the IPC along with Section 13 (Punishment for unlawful activities) of the UAPA.

Case Title: Sharjeel Imam v. The State of NCT of Delhi