NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Friday refused to grant bail to JNU student Sharjeel Imam, stating that his speech was on communal lines. However, the court also noted that the evidence to support that the speech had instigated the rioters was scanty and sketchy.
“The tone and tenor of the incendiary speech tend to have a debilitating effect upon public tranquility, peace and harmony of the society,” said Additional Sessions Judge Anuj Agrawal in his order. However, the court also noted that the evidence in support of the allegations that the rioters got instigated by Imam’s speech and thereafter indulged in the acts of rioting, mischief and attacking the police party, was scanty and sketchy.
Imam was denied bail in the case registered against him for allegedly making inflammatory speech on December 13, 2019 during the anti-CAA violence. He was held for allegedly making three inflammatory speeches in Jamia University on different days. Interestingly, the court added Swami Vivekananda’s quote in the order. “We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think; Words are secondary; Thoughts live; they travel far.”
Denying bail to him, the court said that cursory and plain reading of the speech showed that it was clearly on “communal lines”.Sharjeel Imam delivered three speeches which allegedly resulted in riots at several places. According to the FIR, the said speech was seen instigating a particular religious community against the government by creating unfounded fears in their minds regarding CAB (Citizenship Amendment Bill) and NRC (National Register of Citizens).
Imam was chargesheeted for the offence under section 124A (Comments expressing disapprobation of the measures of the Government with a view to obtaining their alteration by lawful means), 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on the grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence.) for the speech on December 13 2019. He was also chargesheeted for the offences under various section of IPC.