Recently, Sharjeel Imam approaches Delhi Court seeking statutory bail for having undergone one half of the maximum seven years punishment in a UAPA and sedition case relating to alleged inflammatory speeches made by him in Aligarh Muslim University and Jamia area in the national capital against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Imam found himself entangled in legal proceedings when he was named in FIR 22 of 2020, a case filed by the Delhi Police's Special Branch. Although the initial charges were related to sedition, the situation escalated when Section 13 of the UAPA (Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act) was invoked. He has remained in custody since January 28, 2020.

It is Imam’s case that he is entitled to be released on statutory bail as he has undergone one half of the maximum seven years of punishment prescribed under Section 13 of UAPA.

“…the Applicant has completed one-half of the maximum period of imprisonment specified for the concerned offence by law after his arrest on 28.01.2020, the Applicant has completed 3 years and 6 months in judicial custody of this Ld. Court and hence, deserves the liberty of this Ld. Court by grant of statutory bail under Section 436A of Cr.P.C,” the application states.

“That the Applicant has been in custody since 28.01.2020 in connection with captioned FIR and has completed a period of 3 years and more than 6 months under incarceration and has undergone incarceration extending up to one-half of the maximum period of imprisonment specified for the concerned offence by law,” the application reads.

He has been charged for the offences under Section 124A (sedition), 153A (Promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, etc.), 153B (Imputations, assertions prejudicial to national-integration), 505 (Statements conducing to public mischief) of the IPC along with Section 13 (Punishment for unlawful activities) of the UAPA.

This year, in June he approaches the Delhi High Court challenging proceedings against him in two different cases for the same speech delivered at Jamia Millia Islamia University in December 2019. The matter, in which notice has been issued, is scheduled for hearing on October 18.