Lagatar24 Desk
New Delhi, July 29: In response to JNU student Sharjeel Imam’s appeal against a decision by a lower court refusing him interim release in a sedition case, the Delhi High Court on Friday issued notice to the Delhi Police.
Imam’s appeal of the court’s rejection to stay the trial in the case received notices from a division bench comprising Justices Mukta Gupta and Anish Dayal.
The panel set the case for further hearing on August 25 and ordered the Delhi Police to submit a progress report on the case within two weeks. The present case pertains to Imam’s speech at Jamia Milia Islamia in December 2019.
The Supreme Court had held Section 124A (sedition) in abeyance, but Additional sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat had dismissed Imam’s bail request on July 23, stating that the same had previously been rejected on merits and that the case may still move forward based on other charges against Imam.
“The pending trials with respect to the charges framed under Section 124A IPC have been kept in abeyance, however, adjudication with respect to other Sections can proceed if the court is of the opinion that no prejudice would be caused to the accused,” the Court said.
The Court emphasised that there was no ban on the trial proceeding in a case that involved other offenses in addition to Section 124A IPC.
Nor there is any express order for grant of interim bail pending the continuation of the said writ petition before the Supreme Court of India,” the judge added.
Imam has been charged with sedition as well as inciting animosity between groups, public mischief, and violations of the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).
An imam was denied bail by a judge in October 2021 on the grounds that his speech at Jamia Milia University on December 13, 2019, was obviously racially and communally contentious and would have a negative impact on social harmony and peace. After that, he filed an appeal with the Delhi High Court.
