[Delhi Riots] Delhi court orders framing of Sedition, UAPA charges against Sharjeel Imam

A Delhi court on Monday framed Sedition and other charges, including those under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAP), against Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student Sharjeel Imam while rejecting his bail plea in a Delhi Riots case [State v. Sharjeel Imam]..Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat ordered,“Vide separate order of even date, order on charge has been passed. Accused is accordingly directed to be charged for the offences under Section 124A IPC, 153A IPC, 153B IPC, 505 IPC & 13 of UAPA. Vide separate order of even date, the application under Section 439 CrPC filed by accused Sharjeel Imam for grant of regular bail is dismissed.”The charges are of sedition, promoting enmity between groups, statements meant for public mischief, and unlawful activities. The Court will frame charges on February 3, 2022.A reasoned order is awaited..The case pertains to Imam’s allegedly provocative speeches in relation to the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC) at Jamia Millia Islamia in December 2019, and a speech given at the Aligarh Muslim University in January 2020..His counsel, Advocate Tanvir Ahmed Mir, had earlier sought discharge and bail in the case while submitting that Imam was not a terrorist and was not related to any terrorist organisation. He was only a votary of social and economic equality having no political agenda, Mir had argued.The lawyer had also argued that Imam's speech, which was labelled as seditious, called for the society to unite and respond to the government's policy on CAA and NRC..[Delhi Riots] "Not a terrorist:" Sharjeel Imam to Delhi court in sedition case."Criticism of government policies is obviously protest. Criticism comes in the form of songs, movies, protests. He said block roads, etc., but there will be no people. This is what he advocates," he had submitted..Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad had contended that the fact that one of Imam’s speeches began with ‘assalam-o-alaikum’ demonstrated that it was only meant for a particular community and not the public at large.“Entire content focuses on two to three points. Speech was divisive. It wasn't a speech made for general public but a specific community. And he is attempting to create complete anarchy,” Prasad said, referring to one of Imam’s speeches..Sharjeel Imam starting speech with 'assalam-o-alaikum' shows it was meant for particular community: Prosecution to Delhi Court.The Delhi Police's chargesheet in the conspiracy case stated that Imam was the “mastermind” of the Shaheen Bagh road blockade. It was also alleged that in the late afternoon of December 15, 2019, Imam, with the help of Jamia student Arshad Warsi and his accomplices, started a 24x7 permanent road block (chakka jam) of road number 13, Kalindi Kunj Road at Shaheen Bagh..[Read Order]