Delhi Police say Sharjeel Imam violated bail, seek cancellation

The police cited a social media video that purportedly shows Imam speaking to reporters while out on bail.

Hours before activist Sharjeel Imam was due to surrender at Tihar jail, the Delhi Police on Saturday, October 10, asked a Delhi court to cancel his interim bail, alleging that he broke a condition barring him from meeting media persons.

The police cited a social media video that purportedly shows Imam speaking to reporters while out on bail, according to Live Law.

In its application, the police called Imam’s conduct “wilful and deliberate” and said he had “grossly violated” the condition that he not come in contact with any media person. The plea further accused him of abusing the liberty granted by the court. The application is scheduled to be heard today by Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma courts.

Imam, who has been in custody since 2020 and has yet to face a concluded trial, was granted seven days of interim bail on September 22 to attend his cousins’ weddings. The bail ran from October 4 to October 10, and he was directed to return to jail on the evening of the last day.

Case background

Imam was arrested after the 2019-20 protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). Delhi Police later alleged a “larger conspiracy” behind the communal violence that broke out in northeast Delhi in the last week of February 2020, and booked him under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

Others named as accused in the same case include Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal and Umar Khalid. Like Imam, Khalid has spent six years in prison.

Imam’s regular bail plea was rejected by the Delhi High Court on September 30, along with that of Khalid, according to ANI.