[Sedition Case] Delhi High Court to hear Sharjeel Imam’s bail plea on May 4

The Delhi High Court on Monday said it will hear the bail plea filed by Sharjeel Imam in connection with the northeast Delhi Riots 2020 case, involving an allegation of sedition on May 4, 2023.

During the hearing today, the court was informed that one of the parties' counsel was not available.

Taking note of that, the division bench of Justice Siddharth Mridul and Justice Vikas Mahajan adjourned the matter for further hearing on May 4.

Imam's plea challenges the trial court order of January 24, 2022, denying bail to Imam in the sedition case.

Notably, on January 30, the court had sought Delhi Police’s stand as to whether Imam's plea for bail could be remanded back to the trial court for adjudication as there was no ground mentioned in the lower court's order rejecting the relief.

Earlier, in July 2022, Imam had moved two pleas seeking a stay on trial in a sedition case and a grant of interim bail in the case. His pleas had been dismissed by the trial court in light of the Supreme Court’s order dated 11th May 2022 in S.G. Vombatkere v. Union of India whereby Section 124A of the IPC had been put on hold.

Trial Court Order:

In July 2022, Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Amitabh Rawat rejected Imam's bail plea stating that the charges framed against Imam had already been considered and rejected by the court vide order dated 24th January 2022 whereby the court had considered all the merits of the case and the applicability of Sections 124A, 153A, 153B, 505 of IPC and Section 13 of UAPA.

Case Title: Sharjeel Imam v. State of NCT of Delhi

Statue: The Indian Penal Code; The Unlawful Activities Prevention Act