Delhi HC adjourns sine die Sharjeel Imam's plea challenging framing of charges

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday adjourned sine die the appeal of Sharjeel Imam challenging the framing of charges in connection with a 2020 communal riots case involving allegations of sedition.

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday adjourned sine die the appeal of Sharjeel Imam challenging the framing of charges in connection with a 2020 communal riots case involving allegations of sedition. The Supreme Court heard a matter related to sedition and all the matters emanating from the section of sedition (124 A IPC) had been kept in abeyance in May 2022.

The division bench headed by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait adjourned the matter sine die. It was informed that matters related to the law of sedition are pending before the Supreme Court.

Meanwhile, the bail plea hearing has been adjourned till May 16 as the ASG SV Raju was not available to argue the matter. On March 15, 2022, Delhi's Karkardooma court framed sedition and other charges against Sharjeel Imam for alleged inflammatory speeches delivered by him at Jamia area in Delhi in December 2019 and at Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh in January 2020 during the anti-CAA protest. He has pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

Additional sessions judge Amitabh Rawat had framed charges against Sharjeel Imam 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 Indian Penal Code (IPC) and 13 of Unlawful Activities ( Prevention) Act (UAPA). The accused is one of the organisers of the Shaheen Bagh protest of December 2019. Sharjeel Imam was arrested in January 2020 by Delhi Police from Jahanabad, Bihar.

It is a case of allegedly delivering inflammatory speech at Jamia Millia Islamia which allegedly led to violence outside the university in December 2019. The Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet against him in the present case. It was alleged that he gave speeches inciting hatred, contempt, and disaffection towards the Government of India.

Delhi Police had mentioned in the charge sheet against Sharjeel, ''He is accused of delivering seditious speeches and inciting a particular section of the community to indulge in unlawful activities, detrimental to sovereignty and integrity of the nation.'. The matter is at the stage of recording evidence before the trial court. (ANI)

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