New Delhi, March 27 (H.S.): The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Delhi Police while hearing a petition challenging the trial court’s order to frame charges against Sharjeel Imam under various sections including violence and arson in connection with the 2019 Jamia violence case. Justice Sanjeev Narula’s bench ordered the issuance of the notice.

On March 7, the Saket Court ordered the framing of charges against Sharjeel Imam and Asif Iqbal Tanha, among 11 accused, under various sections including violence and arson. Sharjeel Imam has challenged this order in the High Court.

The Saket Court stated that Sharjeel Imam is the main conspirator of the Jamia violence. The court remarked that Sharjeel Imam not only incited violence but also played the role of a kingpin in orchestrating a major conspiracy. The Saket Court ordered the framing of charges against several accused in addition to Sharjeel Imam and Asif Iqbal Tanha, including Ashu Khan, Chandan Kumar, Anil Hussain, Anwar, Yunus, Jumman, Rana, Mohammad Harun, and Mohammad Furqan.

Sharjeel Imam was arrested from Bihar on August 25, 2020. The Delhi Police, in the charge sheet filed against Sharjeel Imam under the UAPA, stated that he was eager to escalate the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) to a national level and was making every effort to do so.

The charge sheet filed against Sharjeel Imam mentioned that he delivered speeches to spread hatred against the central government and incite violence, which resulted in clashes in Delhi in December 2019. The Delhi Police claimed that a deep conspiracy was hatched under the guise of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act. Misinformation was spread in Muslim-majority areas that Muslims would lose their citizenship and would be placed in detention camps.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar