JNU student Sharjeel Imam. (File photo)The Delhi High Court on Friday sought the stand of the city police on JNU student Sharjeel Imam’s plea seeking interim bail in a 2020 riots case involving allegations of sedition.
A bench of Justices Mukta Gupta and Anish Dayal issued notice on his appeals challenging the trial court order refusing to release him on interim bail and staying the ongoing proceedings in the case.
Imam, who is facing sedition charges for his alleged inflammatory speeches, had urged the trial court to release him for the time being on account of the Supreme Court keeping in abeyance Section 124A (sedition) IPC until the issue of its constitutionality is examined.
The court sought a status report from the police and listed the matter for consideration on August 25.
According to the prosecution, Imam had allegedly made speeches at Jamia Millia Islamia on December 13, 2019, and at the Aligarh Muslim University on December 16, 2019, where he threatened to cut off Assam and the rest of the Northeast from India.
In his plea before the high court, Imam said the trial court has “failed to recognise” that pursuant to the directions of the top court, the basis for dismissal of his earlier bail plea i.e. the charge of sedition were obviated and therefore relief must be granted to him.
The plea thus urged the high court to release him on interim bail pending the final outcome of the constitutionality challenge to the offence of sedition.
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