JNU PhD student Sharjeel Imam.
The Delhi Police has filed a supplementary chargesheet against JNU PhD student Sharjeel Imam in connection with the violence that broke out in New Friends Colony and Jamia Nagar on December 15 last year.
A Special Investigation Team led by Rajesh Deo had earlier filed a chargesheet against the rioters in this regard. A supplementary chargesheet in continuation of the earlier one was filed in the court of MM Saket court on Friday.
Additional PRO (Delhi Police) Anil Mittal said, “In case FIR no. 242/19 PS NFC, Sharjeel Imam has been accused of instigating and abetting the Jamia riots, due to his seditious speech delivered on December 13 last year”. “During investigation, on the basis of evidence collected, Sections 124 A and 153 A of the Indian Penal Code (Sedition and promoting enemity between classes) were invoked in the case.”
“On 15.12.19, serious riots had broken out in consequence to the protest march organised by Jamia students against the Citizenship Amendment Act in the area of PS New Friends Colony and Jamia. The mob indulged in large scale rioting, stone pelting and arson, and in the process destroyed many public and private properties. Cases of rioting, arson and damage to public properties were registered in both the police stations. Many policemen and public persons were injured in the riots,” the chargesheet read.
Imam is also facing a sedition charge by the Assam and Uttar Pradesh Police for a speech he made against the citizenship law at Aligarh Muslim University on January 16. Besides this, three other cases have been registered against him.
The JNU student was arrested from his village — Kako in Jehanabad district of Bihar — in January. According to sources, Imam was arrested when he was going to court to surrender, accompanied by his mother, Afshan Raheem, and lawyer. He was then produced before a Jehanabad court before being taken on transit remand to Delhi.
While the Delhi Police said they had arrested Imam “from his house”, Imam — through his advocate Mishika Singh — had said, “I have surrendered to the Delhi Police on January 28… I am ready and willing to cooperate with the investigation. I have full faith in the due process of law. My safety and security are now in the hands of Delhi Police. Let peace prevail.”
Imam was an active volunteer at the Shaheen Bagh protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act in Delhi till January 2.