A Delhi court has framed charges against jailed student activist Sharjeel Imam, alleging him to be the “mastermind” behind the 2019 anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests.
The former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) PhD scholar has been charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including Section 109 (abetment), 120B (criminal conspiracy), 153A (promoting enmity), 143/147/148/149 (rioting), 186 (obstructing a public servant), 353 (assaulting a public servant), and the Public Property Damage Prevention Act.
However, the Delhi Court did not frame Sharjeel Imam under the Sections 25/27 of the Arms Act.
The order came via the Additional Sessions Court in Saket on March 7, where 15 individuals, including Shifa Ur Rahman who had recently contested the Delhi Assembly elections as an AIMIM candidate, were acquitted in the case, Maktoob Media reported.
Justice Vishal Singh who gave the order stated that Sharjeel Imam’s speech “provoked and incited” the Muslim community during the anti-CAA protests.
“Being a senior PhD student, accused Sharjeel Imam craftily clothed his speech in which he avoided the mention of communities other than the Muslim community, but the intended victims of chakka jaam were members of communities other than the Muslim community. Why, otherwise, accused Sharjeel Imam incited only the members of the Muslim religion to disrupt the normal functioning of society,” Justice Singh was quoted by Maktoob Media.
However, the court did not invoke Section 153 (promoting disharmony, hatred, or ill-will between groups) against him after Sharjeel Imam argued he was neither a part of the unlawful assembly that committed rioting on December 15, 2019, nor did he incite the public persons to engage in violent activities by his speech.
On December 15, 2019, students from Jamia Millia Islamia held a peaceful protest against the CAA. When they started marching, the Delhi police stopped them and used tear gas and force, leading to clashes and arson. Later, the Delhi police entered the university campus, used tear gas, and injured several students.
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