The Delhi High Court has issued a notice to the Delhi Police in response to a petition filed by former JNU scholar Sharjeel Imam, who has been accused of inciting violence in the Jamia Nagar area during the December 2019 protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).
The order was passed by Justice Sanjeev Narula in a single-judge Bench on Thursday.
Earlier, on March 7, a trial court framed charges against Imam, Asif Iqbal Tanha, and nine others in connection with the violence that erupted during the anti-CAA protests in 2019. Additional Sessions Judge Vishal Singh of the Saket Courts described Imam as both an instigator and the mastermind behind the larger conspiracy that led to unrest in the area.
According to the trial court, Imam, as a senior PhD scholar, strategically framed his speech to avoid directly naming communities other than Muslims while still implying that the intended targets of the “chakka jaam” (road blockade) were members of other communities. The court stated that Imam’s speech was deliberately designed to provoke anger and hatred, leading to widespread violence by an unlawful assembly on public roads.
Calling his address “venomous” and a clear instance of hate speech, the court noted that Imam’s words actively incited feelings of resentment and disruption. His call for a large-scale chakka jaam led to significant public disturbances across multiple cities in North India. The judge also pointed out that even a non-violent chakka jaam violates the fundamental rights to life and health of the general public.
Apart from Imam and Tanha, the court framed charges against Ashu Khan, Chandan Kumar, Anal Hussain, Anwar, Yunus, Jumman, Rana, Mohd Harun, and Mohd Furkan. Meanwhile, several others, including Mohd Adil, Roohul Ameen, Mohd Jamal, and others, were discharged from the case.
The case, registered under FIR 242 in 2019 at the NFC police station, alleged that around 41 vehicles—including government and private property—were damaged, and police officials were attacked with stones during the protests.
Imam has challenged the trial court’s decision before the High Court, and the proceedings will continue. Advocate Talib Mustafa appeared on his behalf.
