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Who is JNU student Sharjeel Imam? Know all about 2019 Jamia violence case, anti-CAA protests

A court in Delhi decided to discharge JNU student Sharjeel Imam of all the charges filed against him during the 2019 Jamia violence case.

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Over two years after he had surrendered to the Delhi Police in relation to the violence that occurred in the Jamia Millia Islamia University in Delhi, student activist Sharjeel Imam has been acquitted of all his charges, which date back to 2019.

A court in Delhi on Saturday discharged student activists Sharjeel Imam and Asif Iqbal Tanha in the Jamia violence case. Additional Sessions Judge Arul Verma discharged them in a case registered at the Jamia Nagar police station in 2019.

Despite being let off on all the charges linked to the 2019 Jamia violence, Sharjeel Imam will continue to stay in prison for the time being as he is an accused in the larger conspiracy case of the 2020 northeast Delhi riots, which came after the anti-CAA protests.

Police had registered an FIR under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, including rioting, in connection with the communal violence that erupted after a clash between police and people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Who is Sharjeel Imam?

Sharjeel Imam is a former student from the famed Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and an Indian activist. He is around 35 years old and was still a student at JNU when he was arrested in 2019 in connection with the 2019 Jamia violence case.

Sharjeel Imam had completed his B Tech and M Tech degrees from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay and joined JNU in 2013 for completing his master's degree in Modern History. In 2015, he started pursuing his PhD from JNU itself.

Apart from being a student at JNU, Imam also wrote several articles for media establishments such as TRT World, The Wire, Quint, and others. He appeared as one of the most seen faces of the anti-CAA protests and was accused of delivering an “instigator” speech during a gathering.

Sharjeel Imam’s connection to 2019 Jamia violence, CAA protests

Sharjeel Imam was charged with sedition for a speech he delivered among those protesting the CAA and NRC acts by the Centre. As per the Delhi Police, Imam’s speech promoted enmity among people that eventually led to violence inside Jamia Millia Islamia.

Several instances from his speech showed Imam talking about “cutting off” Assam from the rest of the country and calling for a “chakka jam” protest in view of the anti-CAA movement. His involvement has also been alleged in the 2020 Delhi riots, which led to the deaths of 53 people.

READ | Delhi HC to Sharjeel Imam: Approach lower court for bail in sedition case

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