A Delhi court has granted student activist Sharjeel Imam 10-day interim bail in a case related to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots. The interim relief was provided to Imam to allow him to attend to his ailing mother. He is facing charges under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and sedition.

The order, issued by Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Courts, Delhi, mandates Imam to surrender after the 10-day period. Imam, who has been in judicial custody since his arrest in January 2020, was granted bail on specific conditions, including furnishing a personal bond of ₹25,000 with one surety of a like amount. The court noted the humanitarian grounds for the bail plea, considering the medical condition of his mother.

Sharjeel Imam, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) scholar, was arrested on January 28, 2020, from Jehanabad, Bihar. He faces multiple First Information Reports (FIRs) across several states for his alleged inflammatory speeches against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC), delivered at various universities, including Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Jamia Millia Islamia, in late 2019 and early 2020. Prosecutors have alleged that these speeches instigated violence, contributing to the widespread unrest that culminated in the Delhi riots.

The 2020 Delhi riots saw widespread communal violence in the northeastern parts of the city, resulting in over 50 deaths, hundreds injured, and significant property damage. Investigations into the riots led to numerous arrests, with authorities alleging a larger conspiracy to destabilize the region. Imam is one of the key individuals charged in this conspiracy, primarily under UAPA, a law designed to prevent unlawful activities and commonly invoked in cases deemed to involve terrorism or serious threats to national security. Obtaining bail under UAPA is notably difficult due to its stringent provisions.

Key details of the interim bail:

  • Duration: 10 days
  • Purpose: To visit his ailing mother
  • Bail Bond: ₹25,000 with one surety of a like amount
  • Court: Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai, Karkardooma Courts, Delhi
  • Conditions: Imam is prohibited from leaving Delhi without prior court permission, must report to the local police station as directed, and is forbidden from tampering with evidence or influencing witnesses.

This interim bail strictly applies to the specific case being heard by Additional Sessions Judge Bajpai and does not affect other cases or charges Imam might be facing. Upon the expiration of the 10-day period, Sharjeel Imam is required to surrender to judicial custody. The trial in the main conspiracy case under UAPA will continue, with the interim bail having no bearing on the merits of the allegations against him. His legal team continues to pursue regular bail in the overarching conspiracy case, which remains a protracted legal battle.