Daijiworld Media Network - New Delhi
New Delhi, Mar 10: A Delhi court has framed charges against Sharjeel Imam, stating that he was not only an instigator but also a key conspirator behind the 2019 anti-CAA protests that allegedly incited violence. The court held that Imam played a pivotal role in provoking unrest, spreading inflammatory content, and mobilizing protestors as part of a larger plan to disrupt public order.
Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh of Saket Courts observed that Sharjeel Imam deliberately incited the Muslim community against the implementation of CAA and NRC by conducting public meetings, distributing inflammatory leaflets, and uploading provocative speeches on social media. His speeches, the court noted, were strategically designed to fuel anger and disrupt communal harmony.
The court pointed out that Imam visited Aligarh Muslim University, urging students to revolt against the government. He also met Jamia students and local residents in Jamia Nagar on December 13, 2019, persuading them to block roads in protest. While his speech appeared to avoid direct mention of any other community, the court stated that his intent was clear—the victims of the disruption were meant to be non-Muslim communities.
The judge described Imam’s speech as venomous and hateful, emphasizing that it deliberately pitted one religion against another, ultimately inciting mass-scale rioting. The violence that ensued was not spontaneous or accidental, but rather a well-orchestrated conspiracy led by self-proclaimed leaders of the protests, the court remarked.
Sharjeel Imam has been charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code, including criminal conspiracy (120B IPC), incitement (109 IPC), promoting enmity between religious groups (153A IPC), and various other sections related to unlawful assembly, rioting, destruction of public property, and obstructing law enforcement. Additionally, he faces charges under the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
The Special Public Prosecutor argued that Imam’s public addresses were masked as peaceful protests but were, in reality, a call for communal discord. His speeches allegedly sought to instill resentment and hatred among Muslims against other communities, using the CAA legislation as a tool to incite unrest.
Sharjeel Imam and several others have been named in the larger conspiracy case linked to the 2020 Delhi riots, where over 50 people lost their lives, and more than 700 were injured following violent clashes between anti-CAA and pro-CAA groups. The Delhi Police maintain that Imam’s actions were instrumental in triggering these riots and that further investigations are underway.