Delhi Court Grants Sharjeel Imam 7-Day Interim Bail for Cousin's Wedding
A Delhi court has granted jailed activist Sharjeel Imam seven days' interim bail to attend his cousin's wedding, releasing him from October 4 to 10.
A Delhi court has granted interim bail to jailed student activist Sharjeel Imam so that he can attend his cousin's wedding, permitting his temporary release from October 4 to 10.
The relief was granted by the Karkardooma Court. Imam is being prosecuted in the case concerning the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 North-East Delhi riots, registered under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and other penal provisions.
The interim bail is intended to allow him to take part in the wedding ceremonies of his cousin during the specified period.
The development comes amid ongoing proceedings over his regular bail plea. The Delhi High Court had earlier issued notice to the Delhi Police on Imam's petition challenging the trial court's refusal to grant him regular bail in the case. A division bench of Justices Prathiba M. Singh and Vikas Mahajan sought the police's response and posted the matter for further hearing.
The trial court had previously dismissed the regular bail pleas of Imam and co-accused Umar Khalid, relying on a Supreme Court order of January 5 declining them bail and setting out the circumstances in which they could renew their pleas.
Earlier this year, the Supreme Court declined to grant bail to Imam and Khalid, holding that the prosecution material disclosed prima facie grounds attracting the statutory embargo under Section 43D(5) of the UAPA, while granting bail to five other co-accused.
More recently, the top court granted six months' interim bail to co-accused Tasleem Ahmed and Khalid Saifi while referring to a larger Bench the question of whether prolonged incarceration and delay in trial could justify bail despite the restrictions under Section 43D(5) of the UAPA.
The Delhi Police has opposed the bail pleas of Imam and Khalid before the High Court, describing them as "masterminds" of the alleged conspiracy and contending that their fresh pleas were not maintainable in view of the Supreme Court's January 5 order. The case relates to the alleged larger conspiracy behind the February 2020 Delhi riots, in which Imam is among several accused booked under the UAPA and other penal provisions.