Sharjeel Imam, who has been incarcerated since January 28, 2020 under the stringent UAPA and sedition charges, among others, in relation to his speeches against CAA and NRC, has petitioned a Delhi Court for statutory bail, citing that he has served half of the maximum seven-year sentence for his alleged offenses.
“…. as per the maximum punishment extending up to 7 years prescribed under Section 13 UAPA, the Applicant has completed one-half of the maximum period of imprisonment specified for the concerned offence by law ….and hence, deserves the liberty of this Ld. Court by grant of statutory bail under section 436A of Cr.P.C,” read the bail plea of Sharjeel Imam.
Imam, a research scholar from Jawaharlal Nehru University Delhi, was booked for sedition by Delhi Police’s Special Branch in 2020 for speeches at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). Later, Section 13 of the UAPA was invoked against him.
“…after the stay of trial in the present case by Hon’ble High Court of Delhi in regard to the main offence of Section 124A IPC (Sedition) … the only offences remaining against the Applicant related to an offence punishable U/s 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) which is punishable with imprisonment which may extend to five years, 153 IPC (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration) which is punishable with imprisonment which may extend to five years, 505 IPC (Statements conducing to public mischief) which is punishable with imprisonment which may extend to five years and 13 of UAPA (Punishment for unlawful activities) which punishable with imprisonment which may extend to seven years,” read the application.
The statutory bail plea will be heard on September 11 by Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat of the Karkardooma Court.
