Sharjeel tried to disrupt sovereignty of India: Delhi court

‘Delivered speeches to incite unlawful activity through secession from India’

NEW DELHI

Noting that JNU student Sharjeel Imam gave speeches at four places, including Jamia Millia (JMI) and Aligarh Muslim University (AMI), in order to incite unlawful activity through secession from the country, a Delhi court on Tuesday framed charges against him under sedition and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).

While directing Imam to be tried under the said charges, the Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat in his order stated that Imam tried to “disrupt” or “intended to disrupt” the sovereignty and territorial integrity of India and caused “dissatisfaction” against the country and hence committed an offence punishable under Section 13 of the UAPA. 

The court also proposed day-to-day hearings of the trial in the case. The Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad argued in favour of the framing of the charges. 

The order further stated that Imam gave speeches and also distributed pamphlets at Delhi and elsewhere in order to promote a feeling of enmity, hatred and ill-will between two communities on grounds of religion “which was prejudicial to the maintenance of harmony between the two communities and was “likely to disturb public tranquillity”.

ASJ Rawat said that Imam through his speeches and pamphlets propagated that Muslims shall, by reason of their being members of that community, have been “denied/deprived of their rights as citizens of India”.

On January 24 this year, Imam, who is also accused in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case involving the UAPA, had been denied bail by the court in the case.