Gauhati high court grants statutory bail to Sharjeel

The granting of bail, however, doesn’t mean he will be out from jail immediately. There are several cases against Sharjeel lodged in different states of the country.

Updated on: May 23, 2020, 03:01:49 IST

Hindustan Times, Guwahati | By Utpal Parashar

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Three months after he was arrested by Delhi Police from Bihar for his “cut-off-Assam” remark, Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Sharjeel Imam was granted statutory bail by Gauhati high court on Friday.

“Statutory bail has been granted to my brother Sharjeel Imam in the FIR registered by Crime Branch, Guwahati police. This is the first step towards his release,” his brother Muzzammil tweeted.

The granting of bail, however, doesn’t mean he will be out from jail immediately. There are several cases against Sharjeel lodged in different states of the country.

According to reports, the statutory bail was granted by court as the police failed to file charge sheet against Sharjeel within the stipulated 90 days and also didn’t seek extension of his custody.

Following his arrest, Sharjeel was brought to Guwahati on February 20 by Assam Police.

Assam Police had registered a case against Imam after a video of him stating that Assam should be cut-off from the rest of India, during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protest, went viral.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Utpal Parashar
A seasoned senior journalist, I have nearly three decades of experience across print, digital, and online platforms, covering political transitions, insurgencies, environmental issues, and development stories in India and Nepal. I am skilled in breaking news, leading editorial teams and launch of newspaper editions. I am adept at leveraging digital trends and social media to expand global reach, with a strong ethical foundation and a reputation for impactful journalism. An alumnus of Asian College of Journalism, I joined Hindustan Times in New Delhi as a trainee reporter in May 1997. Over the years, I have been posted in Dehradun, Kathmandu (Nepal) and Guwahati. Currently, as Senior Assistant Editor at Hindustan Times, I lead a team reporting on India’s northeastern states. My work involves in-depth analysis, and engaging multimedia storytelling across formats, including text, photo, video, and interactive content. I am skilled in producing timely, shareable content, leveraging digital platforms and social media to engage global audiences. Throughout my career with the Hindustan Times, I have led diverse editorial teams, designed capacity-building activities, and supported reporters in developing strong story ideas, ethical reporting practices, digital skills, and fact-checking techniques. As Senior Assistant Editor for Northeast India, I have been responsible for guiding correspondents through complex political, humanitarian, and community-level stories using multimedia formats. Earlier, as Foreign Correspondent in Nepal, I produced extensive reporting during Nepal’s democratic transition and the 2015 earthquake and its aftermath.Read More

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