Delhi court discharges Sharjeel Iman, Asif, Safoora in Jamia violence case

NEW DELHI: The District Court in Saket discharged former Jawahar Lal Nehru (JNU) student Sharjeel Imam, Safoora Zargar and activist Asif Iqbal Tanha in the Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University violence case where a clash erupted between Delhi Police and people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) on December 15, 2019. Sharjeel was granted bail in 2021.

Additional Sessions Judge Arul Verma on Saturday discharged Sharjeel Imam, Safoora Zargar and Asif Iqbal Tanha in the matter. There were a total of 12 accused out of which 11 have been discharged by the Delhi court except Mohd. Iliyas alias Illen.

A case was registered at Jamia Nagar Police Station in connection with the violence that broke out on December 13, 2019. The Delhi police alleged offences of rioting and unlawful assembly and Section 143, 147, 148, 149, 186, 353, 332, 333, 308, 427, 435, 323, 341, 120B and 34 of IPC were invoked in the FIR.

However, Sharjeel Imam will remain in custody as he is accused in a larger conspiracy, or the Delhi riots case, and a sedition case. Recently, the Karkadooma court issued the direction while disposing of seven pleas moved by Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Gulfisha Fatima, Tasleem Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman, Athar Khan and Meeran Haider. They were accused in the larger conspiracy of Delhi riots case and are lodged in Tihar Jail.

In July last year, Sharjeel Imam moved two pleas seeking a stay on trial in a case of sedition against him and interim bail in the matter. His pleas were however dismissed by the trial court.

The High Court had noted that Sharjeel Imam was arrested on January 28, 2020 and he is in custody for almost three years. It was also noted that the maximum punishment in the section of UAPA levelled against him is seven years. The maximum punishment in other sections related to promoting enmity between people is three years.

The Delhi police had registered a case against former JNU student Sharjeel Imam for the alleged seditious speeches during the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act)-NRC (National Register of Citizens) protest. The Delhi police Crime Branch filed chargesheet and charges have been framed under Section 124A IPC along with 13 of UAPA.

Recently, the Supreme Court had requested the Delhi High Court to give an early hearing to the plea after the petitioner’s lawyer submitted to the Supreme Court that the matter is pending before the Delhi High Court for years. The high court was hearing a batch of petitions, including one filed by lawyer Nabila Hasan through advocates Sneha Mukherjee and Siddharth Seem, seeking action against the police over the Jamia violence.

In the batch of petitions, some petitioners had blamed the forces for using extreme, ruthless and excessive physical force and violence against unarmed and peaceful students. The petitions also raised questions over the use of “extreme” measures such as teargas shells, chilli-based explosives and rubber bullets against the protesters.

Several protesters and policemen sustained injuries during a protest against the new citizenship law near the Jamia Millia Islamia University campus on December 15, 2019. Some public transport vehicles were set on fire and other public properties were also damaged in the protest.

The petitioner approached the Delhi High Court against Delhi Police officials for allegedly attacking the students of Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI) University on December 15, 2019. (ANI)