Delhi riots: Sharjeel Imam gets 10-day interim bail for brother’s wedding

In his plea, Imam had sought interim bail for a period of six weeks, stating that the marriage ceremonies of his younger brother were commencing.

A Delhi court on Monday granted 10 days’ interim bail to former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) scholar Sharjeel Imam, an accused in the northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, to attend his younger brother’s wedding.

Imam is an accused in the northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, along with 17 others, and is accused of hatching a conspiracy to incite violence in the capital as part of their protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019. (HT Archive)

The order was passed by additional sessions judge Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma courts. The court granted interim bail to Imam from March 20 to March 30 on furnishing a personal bond of ₹50,000 and two sureties of a like amount.

This is the first time Imam is being granted bail, having spent over five years in prison since his arrest on January 28, 2020, from his home in Jehanabad, Bihar.

In his plea, Imam had sought interim bail for a period of six weeks, stating that the marriage ceremonies of his younger brother were commencing on March 22 and would continue till March 28.

He also stated that his mother’s health had deteriorated significantly over the years and sought reprieve to spend some time with her.

The prosecution had opposed the plea, stating that verification revealed that the accused was not mandatorily required to attend the wedding and that the ceremonies were being adequately managed by his family.

They also stated that Imam’s mother’s condition was not life-threatening and did not require his release. They said the period of six weeks was unnecessary and relief should not be considered beyond six days.

While granting interim bail, the court set a number of conditions, including that Imam shall not contact any witness in the case, shall keep his phone active, shall not speak to the media or take to social media to discuss the case and shall remain at his home and at the venues of the wedding during the bail period.

ASJ Bajpai is hearing the case pertaining to the northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy, wherein 18 individuals, including Imam, are accused of hatching a conspiracy to incite violence in the capital as part of their protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

Charges are yet to be framed against the accused, and 11 of the accused are out on bail.

On January 5, a Supreme Court bench of justices Aravind Kumar and NV Anjaria denied bail to Imam and student activist Umar Khalid, citing the gravity and the statutory nature of their alleged offences and their “central and formative roles” in the conspiracy.

Shortly after that, Imam’s lawyers said he had withdrawn from the anti-CAA protests in Delhi before the Delhi assembly elections, fearing the peaceful agitation was turning violent. His counsel told the court that even the prosecution claims Imam had left the protests by January, weeks before the February 2020 riots.