Delhi court denies bail to JNU student Sharjeel Imam in 2019 Jamia rioting case

New Delhi, October 22

A Delhi court on Friday denied bail to JNU student Sharjeel Imam in connection with allegedly giving an inflammatory speech and inciting violence in 2019, saying the speech was on communal lines and its content "tends to have a debilitating effect on peace and harmony".

According to police, Imam allegedly delivered a provocative speech on December 13, 2019, which resulted in riots two days later when a mob consisting of over 3,000 people attacked police personnel and torched several vehicles in Jamia Nagar.

Denying bail to him, Additional Sessions Judge Anuj Agrawal said cursory and plain reading of the speech showed that it was clearly on communal lines.

"The tone and tenor of the incendiary speech tend to have a debilitating effect upon public tranquillity, peace and harmony of society," he added.

The judge, however, noted that the evidence in support of the allegations that the rioters got instigated by Imam's speech and thereafter indulged in acts of rioting, mischief, attacking the police party, was scanty and sketchy.

Besides, Imam is also accused of being the “mastermind” of the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots, which had left 53 people dead and over 700 injured. PTI