Activist Sharjeel Imam wrapped up his arguments in a Delhi court regarding the alleged “larger conspiracy” case linked to the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. He emphasized that he never endorsed violence and had no coordination with co-accused Umar Khalid. Imam’s lawyer highlighted the lack of evidence establishing any agreement or coordination between Imam and Khalid, crucial for proving criminal conspiracy.
Imam’s counsel pointed out that during his time at JNU, he never interacted with Umar Khalid, questioning the basis for the alleged coordination. The defense stressed the absence of any discussions on violence in the one meeting where both Imam and Khalid were present. Moreover, Imam consistently advocated for non-violence during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in 2019-20.
The Supreme Court recently denied bail to Imam and Khalid, citing reasonable grounds to believe the accusations against them under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA). The court emphasized the need for expeditious trial proceedings rather than granting bail due to delays. While bail was granted to five other accused individuals, including Gulfisha Fatima and Meeran Haider, Imam and Khalid face accusations of involvement in terror activities and inciting violence during the 2020 city riots.
