Charges framed against Sharjeel Imam in Jamia Nagar violence case
A Delhi court on Monday formally framed charges against activist Sharjeel Imam for his alleged role in orchestrating violence in Jamia Nagar area of Delhi during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in December 2019.
The charges were framed under Sections 109 (abetment of an offence), 120-B (criminal conspiracy), 153-A (promoting enmity between groups), 143, 147, 148, 149 (unlawful assembly, rioting, armed rioting), 186, 353, 332, 333 (obstructing public servants, assaulting police officers), 308, 427, 435 and 323, 341 (attempt to commit culpable homicide, mischief, arson) of the IPC and Sections 3 and 4 of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Activities Act.
Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh at Saket court held that Imam was not just a protester but the “kingpin” behind the widespread arson, rioting and violence.
The court said Imam’s speeches were not merely provocative but “venomous”, designed to inflame communal tensions and mobilise the masses towards confrontation, and noted that the speeches were delivered with “precision and intent” to stir unrest, leading to an inevitable eruption of violence.
“His speech was calculated to evoke anger and hatred, the natural consequence of which was the commission of widespread violence by members of unlawful assembly on public roads. His speech was venomous and pitted one religion against another. It was, indeed, a hate speech,” the court observed.
It added that Imam deliberately exploited the sentiments of the Muslim community, urging them to block roads across multiple states, knowing well that such a move would cripple public life.
The judge outright rejected Imam’s argument that he merely advocated for peaceful protest. The court observed that in a densely populated city like Delhi, where ambulances and emergency services rely on smooth traffic movement, a mass-scale chakka jaam (road blockade) was nothing short of criminal negligence.
"Blocking roads en masse in a city where medical emergencies are routine can directly endanger lives. If any patient in distress were to succumb due to delayed medical care, such an act would amount to nothing less than culpable homicide," the court stated.
Apart from Imam, the court framed charges against Ashu Khan, Chandan Kumar and Aasif Iqbal Tanha, citing mobile location records and media interviews as key evidence of their role in leading the violent mobs.
According to the prosecution, Imam actively mobilised people, distributed inflammatory pamphlets, and used social media to rally support for disruptive protests.
