Delhi court extends Sharjeel Imam's police custody by 3 days
Aug 31, 2020
New Delhi [India], Aug 31 : Delhi's Karkardooma Court on Monday extended police custody of JNU student Sharjeel Imam by three more days in connection with the violence in the North-East district of the national capital.
The Delhi police had sought extension of police custody of Sharjeel in connection with the case.
Imam was arrested in this case on August 25. He was presented before Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat via video conferencing on expiry of his earlier four-days police custody.
"The investigation in the present case of conspiracy for Delhi riots which took place in Delhi is continuing. The custodial interrogation has been sought by the accused Sharjeel Imam for confronting the material that has come during the investigation after his responses in the police custody remand. In order to have an effective and proper investigation, I deem it fit to allow the present application for seeking police custody remand of the accused Sharjeel Imam," the court said.
"However, it is granted only for a period of three days and not seven days as sought. Accordingly, three-day police custody remand of the accused namely Sharjeel Imam is given to the Investigating Officer," the court said.
Delhi Police was represented by Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad while Sharjeel was represented by advocate Surbhi Dhar.
Prasad told the court that the accused did not support in the investigation and giving evasive reply to the questions. "Sharjeel is required to be confronted with the certain material and further interrogation is needed in order to unearth deep-rooted conspiracy and to collect clinching evidence to arrest the remaining conspirators behind the riots. During the course of the investigation, the names of some more suspects have also come out and the accused is required to be questioned at length about those suspects to obtain their exact particulars for further investigation. Further custodial interrogation of the accused is required for confrontation with huge technical data, evidence collected during the investigation and examining him on the various aspects in relation to the investigation," the police said.
On March 6, the Crime Branch of the Delhi Police had registered an FIR under several sections of the India Penal Code (IPC) regarding a criminal conspiracy to cause communal riots in Delhi from February 23 to 26. On the same day, investigation of the case was transferred to the Special Cell.
On April 19, the investigating agency invoked sections 13, 16, 17, and 18 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, 1967 in the case.
A trial court, on August 13, had granted more time to Delhi Police to probe the matter and extended the time for completing the investigation till September 17.
The prosecution moved an application on August 10, under Section 43D(2)(b) of the UAPA, for extension of time to conclude investigation for 30 days, which was allowed by a trial court on August 13, extending the time period by 30 days, till September 17.
Besides Imam, other accused in the case are Khalid, Ishrat Jahan, Tahir Hussain, Gufisha Fatima, Meeran Haider, Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif Iqbal Tanha, and Shafa ur Rehman are among others arrested in the case and they are currently undergoing judicial custody.
At least 53 people lost their lives in the violence that took place in the month of February this year in the northeast area of Delhi between groups supporting and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act.
