Congress MP Imran Masood has called for alleged “justice” for Islamist Sharjeel Imam, who is facing charges in the larger conspiracy case linked to the February 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi riots. Speaking to the media during his visit to Jamia Millia Islamia University in New Delhi on Friday, October 23, Masood said, “There should be justice, shouldn’t there? We are only asking for justice. Justice must be served.”
Delhi: On Sharjeel Imam, Congress MP Imran Masood says, "There should be justice, shouldn’t there? We are only asking for justice. Justice must be served." https://t.co/hOyRLFyse4
— IANS (@ians_india) October 23, 2026
Masood’s remarks came as students continued their agitation at Jamia, demanding the restoration of student union elections and the reinstatement of expelled students. Delhi Police detained the Congress MP after he visited the campus to meet the protestors.
“Free Kashmir,” “Free Sharjeel Imam” posters spark row
Notably, a massive controversy has erupted after posters carrying slogans such as “Free Kashmir” and “Free Sharjeel Imam” appeared on the university campus; however, Masood tried to distance himself from the occurrence and claimed, “I can even give my life for my children. These are my children and the future of my country. Attempts are being made to crush their rights. The students have been expelled from the university. Why is the student union not being restored? What exactly is the reason that you do not want to reinstate the student union,” in an interview with AajTak.
The management of Jamia Millia Islamia has suspended two students, rusticated another named Ebin Basil, an LLB student, and banned all three from the university for a year for initiating an unapproved, indefinite hunger strike. Basil has been charged by the administration with taking part in an “unauthorised sit-in” at the campus’s Ghalib Lawn, blocking university employees, and interfering with the installation of CCTV cameras on 15th October.
It was added that attendees tugged a CCTV camera wire, making the system inoperable. Additionally, the university highlighted a previous demonstration on 11th September and conveyed that Basil and other students had then confronted proctorial team members and shared videos that contained “misleading accounts” of the event.
On 12th October, five students, including the aforementioned three, started a hunger strike to call for the university’s student union to be reinstated. Elections for the student union were last held in Jamia in 2006.
“We don’t have an in principle objection to restoring the students’ union. If a formal request is made… upon consideration, a committee would need to examine the matter and assess safeguards against incidents of violence before any decision could be taken,” a university expressed while talking to The Indian Express.
The person stated that the administration’s stance was influenced by incidents of violence and conflicts between students and teachers. The official also pointed to the Delhi High Court’s 2022 proceedings, arguing that the case had not led to the university receiving orders to reinstate the union.
Sharjeel imam’s role in the 2020 anti-Hindu Delhi riots case
Sharjeel Imam is one of the accused in the larger conspiracy case related to the mayhem in the national capital in 2020. The anti-Hindu violence broke out during the protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA), leaving 53 people dead and hundreds injured.
Imam, who came into the spotlight for his speech calling for the separation of the “Siliguri Corridor” (Chicken’s Neck) from India, faces charges under the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) in connection with unlawful and terrorist activities and conspiracy. According to the charge sheet, he played a role in forming WhatsApp groups and discussing strategies to escalate the unrest at the direction of others.
Other accused in the case include Tahir Hussain, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Isharat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima and Safoora Zargar. Tahir Hussain, a former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader, and four other people have already been sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of Intelligence Bureau employee Ankit Sharma.
