Delhi riots case: Delhi court orders framing of sedition charges against Sharjeel Imam
Imam was arrested on January 28, 2020 from Bihar for allegedly giving a seditious speech and abetting riots in the Jamia Millia Islamia area of Delhi in December last year.
FollowA Delhi court on Monday ordered framing of sedition charges against Sharjeel Imam accused in a case related to alleged inflammatory and instigating speeches during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and National Register of Citizens (NRC) in Delhi.
Additional sessions judge Amitabh Rawat ordered framing of the charges against him. The court passed the orders under sections 124A (sedition), 153A, 153B, 505 of IPC and 13 of UAPA.
“Charges are being framed under sections 124 (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion), 153B (imputations, assertions prejudicial to national integration), 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) of Indian Penal Code, and Section 13 (punishment for unlawful activities) of UAPA,” Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat ordered.
On December 15, 2019, a mob of over 3,000 people attacked police and torched several vehicles in Jamia Nagar during a demonstration against the Citizenship Amendment Bill. The prosecution had claimed the mob was instigated by Imam’s speeches against CAA-NRC outside Jamia Millia Islamia.
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Imam was arrested on January 28, 2020 from Bihar for allegedly giving a seditious speech and abetting riots in the Jamia Millia Islamia area of Delhi in December last year. According to Delhi Police, in the said speech, Sharjeel Imam was instigating a particular religious community against the government by creating unfounded fears in their minds regarding CAA and NRC.
In his defense, Imam had earlier told the court that he is not a terrorist, and his prosecution is a whip of a monarch rather than a government established by law. Whereas the prosecution claimed that violent riots took place pursuant to Imam's speech.
Delhi Police had filed a charge sheet against Imam in the case, in which it alleged that he allegedly gave speeches inciting hatred, contempt, and disaffection towards the Central Government and instigated the people which led to the violence in December 2019.
