Sharjeel Imam, accused in Delhi riots case, gets 7-day interim bail to attend cousin's wedding

A Delhi court on Tuesday granted interim bail from October 4 to October 10 to student activist Sharjeel Imam in the 2020 North-East Delhi riots larger conspiracy case to allow him to attend his cousin’s wedding.

The temporary release was granted by additional sessions judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Courts in connection with a conspiracy case stemming from the 2020 Delhi riots. A copy of the written order has not yet been released.

Also read: 2020 Delhi riots: HC to hear bail pleas by Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam in UAPA case on Sep 30

Imam was arrested by the Delhi Police on January 28, 2020, and booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) on charges that he was one of the key intellectual architects behind the entire conspiracy, who worked in tandem with the other co-conspirators, which escalated into large-scale communal violence during the February 2020 Delhi riots.

The riots erupted in violence on February 23, 2020, following clashes between Hindus and Muslims over the then-proposed Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) that left 53 dead and hundreds injured.

The relief comes a day after the Delhi high court adjourned the regular bail petitions of Imam and co-accused Umar Khalid to September 30.

Also read: Mumbai Police pressured venue to cancel Umar Khalid documentary screening, organisers allege

The Delhi Police has strongly opposed their bail in the High Court, calling them the "masterminds" of the violence. In an affidavit filed last month, police argued that their bail pleas were legally untenable, pointing out that the Supreme Court had previously categorized their roles as part of a "command authority," distinguishing them from other co-accused.

To be sure, ASJ Bajpai rejected bail applications filed by Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid in the larger conspiracy case on July 5