Sharjeel instigated section of society to block access to NE: Delhi Police

NEW DELHI: In response to JNU student and activist Sharjeel Imam's bail application in connection with the violence in North-East Delhi in 2020, the Delhi Police said that his speeches spread falsehood about genocide in Assam and instigated a particular religious section to disrupt the access to the Northeast region of the country from Central India.

The police submitted that due to the sensitivity of the case, it is requested that the accused may evade the process of law and threaten public witnesses, adding that the accused may indulge in such crime again if granted bail, therefore the "bail application of the present applicant/accused is strongly opposed".

The police were responding to the notice issued by the Delhi High Court on the bail application of Sharjeel Imam, accused in a case related to making alleged inflammatory and instigating speeches during the anti-CAA protests in the national capital.

Through his speeches, he was also spreading falsehood about genocide in Assam, the police statement contended.

Various FIRs have been registered against Imam, including for making alleged inflammatory speeches at Jamia Millia Islamia on December 13, 2019, and at Aligarh Muslim University on December 16, 2019.

He has been in judicial custody since January 2020.

In September 2020, the main charge sheet was filed by the Special Cell of Delhi Police.

The charge sheet was filed in little less than 200 days of filing an FIR to investigate the "conspiracy" angle behind the riots that rocked North-East Delhi in February 2020.

Clashes between the citizenship law supporters and protesters had spiralled out of control, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured. (IANS)

1. What is Sharjeel Imam's case?

Earlier a Delhi court has framed charges, including sedition, against Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Sharjeel Imam in a case related to alleged inflammatory speeches made by him during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in 2019.

Charges are being framed under sections 124 (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) of the Indian Penal Code, and Section 13 (punishment for unlawful activities) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Activities (UAPA), additional sessions judge Amitabh Rawat ordered.

As per the prosecution, Imam had allegedly made speeches at Jamia Millia Islamia on December 13, 2019, and at Aligarh Muslim University on December 16, 2019, where he threatened to cut off Assam and the rest of the Northeast from India.

2. What is Sharjeel Imam's speech to cut off Assam from the rest of India?

Sharjeel Imam, who is an activist and one of the faces behind the Shaheen Bagh protest, had earlier called for cutting off Assam and Northeast from the rest of India.

In the video, shared by BJP leader Sambit Patra, Sharjeel Imam calls upon people to "agitate and cut off Assam and the Northeast from rest of India". He said if he can organise five lakh people, it would become possible to "permanently cut off Assam with rest of India...if not permanently, then at least for a few months".

In the speech, allegedly made at an anti-CAA protest, Sharjeel Imam said:

"Ab waqt ye hai ki hum gair Musalmanon ko bolen ki agar hamdard ho, toh hamari sharton pe aake khade ho. Agar hamari sharton pe nahi khade ho sakte, toh hamdard nahi.

"Main pehle bhi keh chuka hun ki agar 5 lakh log hon hamare paas organised, to hum Hindustan aur Assam ko permanently cut kar sakte hain. Permanently nahi, toh kam se kam ek aad mahine k liye toh kar hi sakte hain."

Also Read:  Sharjeel Imam Granted Bail By Delhi Court In Connection With 2019 Jamia Riots Case

Also watch: