Delhi court refuses to cancel Sharjeel Imam’s bail, but says he flouted conditions

A Delhi court on Saturday held that student activist Sharjeel Imam, accused in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, “apparently flouted” a condition of his interim bail by coming into contact with media, but refused to cancel his bail as he was already on his way to surrender.

Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai passed an order on an application filed by the Delhi Police seeking cancellation of Imam’s interim bail.

Imam was granted interim bail for seven days from October 4 to 10 by an order dated September 22 to attend his cousin’s wedding.

The order barred him from using social media or contacting any mediaperson, and from meeting anyone other than family members, relatives and friends.

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The prosecution alleged that Imam violated these conditions, pointing to videos on a YouTube channel and on social media platform X. It said a video uploaded by a news channel showed Imam’s brother giving an interview while he was present in the same room.

Rejecting the defence’s contention that the video was a compilation of separate clips and that Imam was not present in the room, the court said the footage indicated that the clips had been shot in the same place at approximately the same time.

The case pertains to an FIR registered in connection with the 2020 northeast Delhi riots and includes charges under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act and various provisions of the Indian Penal Code.