Delhi HC rejects Sharjeel Imam’s plea to advance hearing on bail in Delhi riots 'larger conspiracy' case

New Delhi, Sep 4 : The Delhi High Court on Wednesday turned down a plea of Sharjeel Imam, accused in a case under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), seeking expeditious hearing on his bail appeal in an alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 Delhi riots.

A bench, headed by Justice Suresh Kumar Kait, declined to advance the date of the hearing, which is already fixed for October 7.

In his appeal filed before the Delhi HC, the former Jawaharlal Nehru University student and activist has challenged the trial court order, which had previously denied him bail, following his arrest in August 2020 in connection with the case. He has been in custody since January 2020, facing multiple FIRs related to the violence.

The bail plea was last listed for final hearing on August 29 before the high court but was adjourned for hearing till October 7.

According to the police, Imam made the alleged inflammatory speeches in Jamia Millia Islamia, Delhi on December 13, 2019, and in Aligarh Muslim University, Uttar Pradesh on January 16, 2020.

JNU scholars and activists Imam and Umar Khalid are among the nearly dozen people reportedly involved in the alleged larger conspiracy linked to the Delhi riots of 2020, as per the Delhi Police. Imam and Khalid are facing charges in connection with making inflammatory speeches which allegedly fuelled the violence, as per the police.

The riots broke out in the national capital in February 2020 as clashes between the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) and pro-CAA protesters took a violent turn. The mayhem saw more than 50 people lose their lives besides leaving over 700 persons injured. The Delhi High Court, on May 29, granted statutory bail to Sharjeel Imam in a sedition case. However, he continued to remain in jail due to his involvement in the larger conspiracy case.