Delhi Court Extends Judicial Custody Of Sharjeel Imam

A Delhi court on Thursday extended till October 22 the judicial custody of Jawaharlal Nehru University’s student Sharjeel Imam in connection with the violence in northeast Delhi in February this year.

Imam was arrested in this case by the Special Cell of the Delhi Police on August 25. He was presented before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat via video conferencing from Jail on expiry of his earlier judicial custody.

Advocate Surbhi Dhar representing Imam opposed the further extension of judicial custody and argued that “never have I understood why I am in the case.”

The Delhi Police Special Cell, in a recently filed chargesheet, said that anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) WhatsApp groups were used to fuel violence in northeast Delhi in February this year. The chargesheet was filed under several relevant sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Arms Act in the Delhi violence case.

Police sources then stated that chargesheet does not have the names of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. They will be in the supplementary chargesheet as their arrest was made just a few days before the filing of the chargesheet.

On March 6, the Delhi Police had registered an FIR under several sections of the IPC regarding a criminal conspiracy to cause communal riots in Delhi from February 23 to 26. On the same day, investigation of the case was transferred to the Special Cell.

On April 19, the investigating agency invoked sections 13, 16, 17, and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 in the case. On August 13, a trial court granted time to Delhi Police to probe the matter and extended the time for completing the probe till September 17.

The prosecution had moved an application on August 10, under Section 43D(2)(b) of the UAPA, for extension of time to conclude investigation for 30 days, which was allowed by a trial court on August 13, extending the time period by 30 days, till September 17.

Beside Imam, other accused in the case are Khalid, Ishrat Jahan, Tahir Hussain, Gufisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif Iqbal Tanha, and Shafa ur Rehman. They all are currently undergoing judicial custody.

At least 53 people lost their lives in the violence that took place in the month of February this year in the northeast area of Delhi between groups supporting and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act. (ANI)