A Delhi court has on Friday adjourned the bail plea of JNU student Sharjeel Imam until July 7 as the courts are on vacation from today.
On Monday, the court had reserved its order on the bail application of scholar and activist Sharjeel Imam, who was arrested under Section 124A of the India Penal Code (IPC), for giving speeches against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
After hearing arguments on behalf of both the Prosecution and the Defence
Counsel, the Karkardooma court of Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat had reserved order till June 10, while directing the Prosecution to file written submissions on or before the next date of hearing over the matter.
The Delhi High Court had earlier directed the scholar to approach the lower
court for bail, as the prosecution had raised objection over the
maintainability of Sharjeel’s plea.
The Delhi High Court was apprised by the prosecution that in terms of the
Supreme Court order of 2014, any such bail application would first go to the
trial court and only if the relief is not granted there, then the accused can
move the High Court, as the case is triable only by a Special Court.
Sharjeel had then moved to the higher court. According to Imam’s counsel , in view of the recent direction by the Supreme Court, directing to keep all pending appeals and proceedings with respect to the charges framed under Section 124A (Sedition) of
the Indian Penal Code in abeyance, Sharjeel Imam should be granted bail.
Imam’s bail application was rejected by the trial court because it said that a prima facie offence under Section 124A was made out against him, which did not hold ground now, keeping the Apex Court order in mind.