'Truth will ultimately prevail': Sharjeel Imam reacts to SC verdict denying him bail in Delhi riots conspiracy case
Activist Sharjeel Imam, who was denied bail by the Supreme Court on Monday in the case related to an alleged conspiracy in the 2020 Delhi riots, welcomed the relief granted to his co-accused while also expressing concern regarding his ailing mother.
In a statement shared on X by his brother Muzammil Imam, Sharjeel criticised the top court's verdict and alleged it "criminalizes organized protests and treats disruption as a terrorist act."
Sharjeel and Umar Khalid, both activists and former scholars at the Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) were denied bail by the apex court, observing that the prosecution materials showed a prima facie case against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967.
The top court, however, ordered the release of five other activists and co-accused in the case -- Gulfisha Fatima, Meera Haider, Shifa Ur Rehman, Mohd. Saleem Khan and Shadab Ahmed.
"I am very happy that others have been granted bail, even though I condemn the injustice meted out to them for so long," Sharjeel said.
The activist alleged that he and Umar are being punished for "organizing and spearheading" one of the "most important protests in recent Indian history."
"As far as we are concerned, I firmly believe that Umar and I are being punished for organizing and spearheading what was probably the most important mass protest in recent Indian history," he said.
Sharjeel was referring to the mass protests that erupted accross the country against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) introduced by the BJP-led Centre and passed by the Parliament in December 2019.
The law was dubbed as "discriminatory" by Opposition parties, rights groups and Muslim organisations. Sharjeel and Umar were among the student leaders who spearheaded the protests.
"The judgment criminalizes organized protests and treats disruption as a terrorist act. This further blurs the distinction between terrorist activity and democratic protest and dissent,” Sharjeel alleged.
He also expressed concern regarding his ailing mother and said that he remained optimistic about the case.
"On a personal note, my only concern is the physical and mental health of my elderly mother. Apart from that, I remain optimistic about the case and that the truth will ultimately prevail. Inshallah, we will be successful," he said.
"Till then, I am pursuing my intellectual and academic journey to the extent I can.Dil na-umeed to nahin naakam hi to hai, lambi hai gham ki shaam magar shaam hi to hai," he added.
Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam have spent five years in prison without trial.
Refusing to grant bail to the activists, the SC observed that the prosecution materials prima facie disclosed that Umar and Sharjeel played a "central and formative role" in the alleged offences, attracting the statutory restrictions. The court said it was not persuaded that the continued period of incarceration had crossed the threshold required under Section 43D(5) of the UAPA to warrant the grant of bail.
