Sharjeel Imam granted bail in Jamia violence case

NEW DELHI: A city court on Thursday, December 9, 2021, granted bail to JNU student Sharjeel Imam in a case related to violence in Jamia Nagar on December 13, 14 in 2019. The court said the fact that Sharjeel was not arrested during the investigation, he could be granted bail. “An application has been moved on behalf of accused Sharjeel Imam seeking bail. Heard. Considering the nature of offence, and the fact that he was not arrested during the investigation, the application is allowed,” said the court order.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Dinesh Kumar granted bail to Sharjeel after directing him to furnish a bail bond of Rs 25,000 with one surety of like amount. Imam was granted bail in FIR No 296/19 filed in Jamia Nagar police station. The incidents of violence in the Jamia Millia Islamia had erupted while the student protested against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) in December 2019. Imam has been booked under offences such as rioting, conspiracy, attempt to commit culpable homicide, voluntarily obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions, and assault under the Indian Penal Code.

This is one of the three FIRs filed against Imam in Delhi. At present, he is also facing cases in Assam, UP, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh. Allahabad High Court had also granted him bail in a sedition case for giving a speech in Aligarh. Recently, Sharjeel’s counsel had moved the Delhi High Court to seek a bail in challenging the trial court’s April 25 order which gave the Delhi Police three more months, beyond statutory 90 days, to complete the investigation in the case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act. Imam is currently lodged in a jail in Guwahati where he also suffered from COVID-19.