In 2019 Jamia violence case, Delhi court discharges Sharjeel Imam. See who is he

Over a couple of years after surrendering to the Delhi Police in connection with the violence at Jamia Millia Islamia in Delhi, student activist Sharjeel Imam has been cleared of all charges dating back to 2019.

On Saturday, a Delhi court discharged student activists Sharjeel Imam and Asif Iqbal Tanha in the case filed at the Jamia Nagar police station in 2019. Additional Sessions Judge Arul Varma gave the order.

Who is Sharjeel Imam?

Sharjeel Imam is a former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student and an Indian activist. He is roughly 35 years old and was still a student at JNU when he was detained in connection with the Jamia violence case in 2019.

Sharjeel Imam earned his B.Tech and M.Tech degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay before enrolling at JNU in 2013 to pursue a master's degree in Modern History. He began working on his PhD at JNU in 2015.

Apart from being a JNU student, Imam has also written for media outlets. He was one of the most visible faces of the anti-CAA rallies, and he was accused of giving a “instigator” speech at a meeting, media reports said.

Sharjeel Imam's involvement in 2019 Jamia violence and CAA protests

Sharjeel Imam was accused with sedition for a speech he gave among people criticising the Centre's CAA and NRC measures, the reports said. According to Delhi Police, Imam's lecture incited animosity among students, leading to violence within Jamia Millia Islamia. Several times during his remarks, Imam mentioned "closing off" Assam from the rest of the country and asking for a "chakka jam" protest in response to the anti-CAA campaign, as per reports.

Despite being cleared of all charges related to the 2019 Jamia violence, Sharjeel Imam will remain in prison for the time being since he is a defendant in the bigger conspiracy case of the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, which followed the anti-CAA rallies.

Police had filed a FIR under different sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rioting, in connection with the communal violence that erupted following a conflict between police and protesters opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

FAQs

Q1.Who is Sharjeel Imam?
Sharjeel Imam is a former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student and an Indian activist.

Q2.Is Sharjeel Imam released?
Despite being cleared of all charges related to the 2019 Jamia violence, Sharjeel Imam will remain in prison for the time being since he is a defendant in the bigger conspiracy case of the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, which followed the anti-CAA rallies.