'Victim Not Offender': Sharjeel Imam To Delhi HC On 2019 Jamia Violence Case

Imam, who was arrested in 2020, was responding to a petition filed by the Delhi Police against his discharge.

Sharjeel Imam. Image used for representational purposes only. 

(Photo: Namita Chauhan/The Quint) 

Jailed JNU student Sharjeel Imam has told the Delhi High Court that he was in fact the victim of violence and not the one who committed any offence in connection with the 2019 Jamia violence case.

Imam, who has been languishing in prison since 2020, was responding to the petition filed by the Delhi Police against his discharge.

“The fact that violence occurred during the peaceful protest at Jamia which resulted in the Answering Respondent breaking his glasses is not indicative of the fact that the he participated in the said violence. It merely shows that the he was a victim of the violence and had no active role to play in its culmination,” the written submissions made by the activist said.

He also said that the act of shouting slogans “in favor of a particular means of peaceful protest” in no manner portrays his participation in the alleged violence that happened during the protest against Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

A Delhi Court had discharged Imam, Zargar, Tanha and eight others on and said that they had been made the "scapegoats" because the police were unable to apprehend the "actual perpatrators."

“…this Court cannot but arrive at the conclusion that the police were unable to apprehend the actual perpetrators behind commission of the offence, but surely managed to rope the persons herein as scapegoats.”

But, the Delhi police had approached the High Court to challenge their discharge in the case on 8 February.

Meanwhile, the Delhi court judge, who discharged Imam and others recused himself from hearing similar cases related to the violence, owing to “personal reasons," on 11 February.

While recusing himself from the case, Arul Varma, Special Judge (NDPS), South-East District, Saket Court said, “Due to personal reasons, the undersigned hereby recuses from hearing the matter.”

Besides this, Imam, continues to remain incarcerated as a UAPA accused in connection with the Delhi Riots 'Larger Conspiracy' Case. The Delhi High is presently hearing is bail plea in that matter.