Sharjeel Imam withdraws plea seeking bail to contest in Bihar polls, to move SC

Sharjeel Imam said his regular bail application is already pending before the Supreme Court and it was appropriate that the interim bail be moved at that forum

NEW DELHI: Sharjeel Imam, accused in the 2020 northeast Delhi riot conspiracy case, on Tuesday, withdrew his application seeking interim bail to contest as an independent candidate in the upcoming Bihar assembly elections, staying that he would seek the relief from the Supreme Court, where his regular bail plea remains pending.

Sharjeel Imam, accused in the 2020 northeast Delhi riot conspiracy case. (File Photo)

Advocate Ibraham Ahmad, on behalf of Imam, told additional sessions judge (ASJ) Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma courts that the plea is being withdrawn due to a technical issue as Imam’s regular bail application is already pending before the Supreme Court and it was appropriate that the interim bail be moved at that forum.

To be sure, ASJ Bajpai is hearing the Northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case where Sharjeel Imam, along with other student activists including student activist Umar Khalid, United Against Hate founder Khalid Saifi, MBA student Gulfisha Fatima, among others, is accused of hatching a conspiracy that led to communal violence in the capital in the month of February 2020.

The development comes a day after Imam moved the plea, stating that he is a political prisoner and a student activist and is willing to contest elections from his home state Bihar, which is scheduled to take place in two phases from October 10 to November 16.

“…the applicant is an independent candidate…contesting from the assembly constituency of Bahdaruganj. The election to the said constituency is to happen in the 2nd phase from the issuance of notification on October 13, 2025 till the date of poll on November 11, 2025,” the plea said.

Imam further said that since he is an independent candidate and not associated with any political party, there is no one to make arrangements for his nominations and campaigning for his elections, except his younger brother, who is also looking after his ailing mother.

Seeking a 14-day interim bail, Imam said that since the last date of filing the nominations is October 20, it was essential for him to make necessary arrangements for his election campaign.

The matter was scheduled to be taken up by the court on Tuesday.