Delhi High Court Grants Bail to Sharjeel Imam Amid Controversial Sedition Charges

The Delhi High Court has granted bail to student activist Sharjeel Imam in a 2020 communal riots case, dismissing the trial court's refusal based on serious allegations. The court cited section 436-A of the CrPC, emphasizing that the prolonged detention was unjustified. Imam remains in custody due to other pending charges.

The Delhi High Court has ordered the release of student activist Sharjeel Imam on bail, in connection with a 2020 communal riots case that had leveraged allegations of sedition and unlawful activities against him. The bench, led by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait, criticized the trial court for letting the gravity of the allegations overshadow the legal provisions.

Justice Kait emphasized that section 436-A of the Code of Criminal Procedure mandates that an undertrial should not be detained beyond half of the maximum sentence unless there are significant reasons. The court found no justifiable reason to prolong Imam's detention, ruling that the trial court had been unduly influenced by the severity of the allegations.

The court dismissed the prosecution's argument that Imam's actions had delayed the trial, noting that legal remedies pursued by the accused cannot be deemed a cause for delay. Nonetheless, Imam remains in jail due to other charges related to an alleged conspiracy in the 2020 Delhi riots.

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