In High Court, Delhi Police opposed an appeal moved by former JNU Student Sharjeel Imam, challenging trial court order in which the bail was denied to him in a case related to alleged inflammatory speeches given by him at Aligarh Muslim University and in the Jamia area during the anti-CAA agitation in 2019 and 2020.
Delhi Police in its affidavit states that charges against Sharjeel Imam are grave in nature, “the facts of the instant case on which the charges are framed against the accused indeed suggest that the offence, as charged against the accused, is grave in nature and there is no frivolity in the case of the prosecution”. The offence prima facie made out against the accused is punishable with imprisonment for life, so the accused qualifying Triple Test in isolation shall not be considered without applying other fundamental grounds for bail, says Delhi Police affidavit.
Earlier, the bench headed by Justice Siddharth Mridul had sought the response of Delhi Police through the state. The matter was listed for hearing on Thursday, later adjourned for April 29, 2022. Earlier, Counsel appeared for Delhi police said the accused is also charged with Section 124A, in which an accused shall be punished with imprisonment for life.
Sharjeel Imam while challenging the order dated January 24 this year passed by the Additional Session Judge of Karkardooma Court stated that the trial court has been wrongly dismissed after holding that the Special Court has no power under Section 439 CrPC to grant an accused regular bail, even in cases where the additional constraint of section 43D(5) UAPA didn’t apply.
The petition stated that the instant FIR was registered against the Appellant on January 25, 2020, simultaneously with four other FIRs across multiple states for the same speeches attributed to the Appellant.
The instant FIR was originally registered for the offences punishable under sections 124A, 153A, 153B and 505(2) IPC. Subsequently, the Appellant was arrested in this case from his hometown of Jehanabad, Bihar on January 28, 2020, and was remanded to police custody for eight days. The Appellant has been in continuous judicial custody since then.
The Special Trial Court order dated January 24 this year has ordered to frame charges against the Appellant under all the invoked penal provisions.
On the same day, the Appellant’s application seeking grant of regular bail under Section 439 CrPC, was dismissed by the Special Court which held that it could exercise power only under Section 437 CrPC, placing reliance upon its order framing charges against the Appellant.
Imam was arrested in 2020 by Delhi Police from Jahanabad, Bihar. It was alleged that he gave speeches inciting hatred, contempt, and disaffection towards the central government.