The Delhi Police have petitioned a Delhi court to overturn the interim bail granted to Sharjeel Imam. He is a prime accused in the larger conspiracy case related to the anti-Hindu 2020 Northeast Delhi riots. According to the authorities, he engaged with the media and broke the terms of his bail. Imam is prohibited from using social media and from interacting with members of the media during the period, pursuant to the stated condition.
He was given temporary relief by Karkardooma Court’s Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai to attend his cousin’s wedding from 4th to 10th October.
According to the police’s application, a video of Sharjeel Imam talking with media representatives after he came out of jail is making the rounds on social media, reported LiveLaw. “Therefore, the accused grossly violated the aforesaid condition that he shall not come in contact with any media person,” it emphasised.
#Breaking Delhi Police moves Delhi court seeking cancellation of interim bail granted to Sharjeel Imam in the Delhi riots conspiracy case. Police say that as a condition for granting bail, Imam was restrained from talking to the media. However, there is a video of him interacting with media persons. #SharjeelImam
— Bar and Bench (@barandbench) October 10, 2026
It further conveyed that Imam’s actions are purposeful and deliberate and constitute a flagrant breach of the court-imposed interim release requirement. The submission pointed out, “The accused, having been granted the indulgence of liberty, was bound to abide by the conditions attached thereto, and has abused the said liberty and indulgence of this Hon’ble Court. It is clear from the conduct of the accused that he is misusing the liberty granted to him by this Court.”
Imam had previously been granted ten days of interim bail, from 20th to 30th March, for his brother’s marriage. He is charged under the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities Prevention Act for his involvement in the larger conspiracy that led to the unrest in the national capital.
Sharjeel Imam, infamous for his speech calling for separating the “Siliguri Corridor” (Chicken’s Neck) from India, is charged mainly under UAPA provisions for having a part in unlawful and terrorist activities and conspiracy. The charge sheet stated that he played a role in creating WhatsApp groups and articulating strategies for escalation of protests at the instance of others. The anti-Hindu violence had erupted during the anti-CAA (Citizenship Amendment Act) agitation.
Sharjeel Imam, Tahir Hussain, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Isharat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, and Safoora Zargar are among the accused in this case. Hussain, a former leader of the Aam Aadmi Party, and four other people have already been sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Intelligence Bureau employee Ankit Sharma.
