Delhi riots accuse Sharjeel Imam moving the court to seek interim bail to submit nomination for Bihar repositions

New Delhi: Former Junnu student leader Sharjeel Imam, an accused in the 2020 North East Delhi Riots case under the Illegal Activities Act (Prevention) (UAPA), drafted a Delhi court to submit its nomination and campaign for the Bihar meeting. The application, submitted in terms of section 439 of the Code of Criminal Procedure, 1973, was read with Article 483 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), 2023, and was arrested from 15 August 2020 and was arrested since 25 August 2020 and requested bail in the Bihar competition. In the plea, Imam describes himself as a ‘political prisoner and student activist’ and argues that he intends to share at the Bihar meeting, which will be held in two phases between October 10 and November 16. The Bahadurganj voting box is presented for 11 years. It adds that he has no criminal ancestors and that he does not pose a threat to society. Imam, who chased a PhD at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) at the time of his arrest, is a Kako resident, Jehanabad (Bihar). The plea states that Imam needs temporary release to personally submit his nomination papers and make arrangements for his campaign, as she is younger brother-who cares for their filthy mother-the only family member who is available to help him. Referring to precedents, the application refers to orders from the Supreme Court that provides interim bail to political leaders such as the chief minister of Delhi, Arind Kejriwal to fight for elections, and decisions of the Punjab High Court and Haryana and the Bombay High Court allowing similar relief to other candidates. The plea claims that the denial of such bail would amount to the denial of Imam of his democratic right to dispute elections. It prays for two weeks for interim bail and claims that the request is ‘bona fide and in the interest of justice’. The application is likely to be listed before a Karkardooma Court on Tuesday. The violence in northeastern Delhi in 2020 broke out during the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and killed 53 people and injured more than 700. There are 18 accused in the case, including Sharjeel Imam, Umar Khalid, Tahir Hussain, Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, Gulfisha Fatima, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Safoora Jargar, Abdul Khalid Saifi, Meeran Haider, Atar Khan, Shifa Ur Rehman and others. (Ani)