Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) scholar Sharjeel Imam has approached a Delhi court seeking interim bail for two weeks to contest the upcoming Bihar assembly elections.
Imam has filed the interim bail application before Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Sameer Bajpai of Karkardooma Courts, who has been hearing the Delhi riots conspiracy case.
He has sought bail from October 15 to October 29.
Notably, Imam has been booked in a number of cases related to the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC). He has been granted bail in other matters, but is incarcerated in the Delhi riots conspiracy case. The Delhi Police has invoked UAPA in the matter.
He was denied regular bail in the case by the Delhi High Court on September 2. His appeal against that order is pending before the Supreme Court.
In his interim bail plea, Imam has said that he is a "political prisoner and a student activist".
"He [Imam] is willing to contest elections from his home state Bihar which is scheduled to take place from in 2 phases from 10.10.2025 to 16.11.2025," the plea states.
It adds that Imam is seeking to contest elections from the Bahadurgan seat as an independent candidate.