Relief for Delhi riots accused Sharjeel Imam, court granted 10-day interim bail for this reason

March 9, 2026

Sharjeel Imam, accused in the Delhi riots, received a major relief from the Karkardooma Court on Monday. The court granted him interim bail for 10 days to attend his brother’s wedding and care for his ailing mother.

What was his argument in court?
The court of Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai granted Sharjeel interim bail from March 20 to March 30. Sharjeel Imam had filed an application in the court seeking 10 days’ interim release.

His lawyers argued that his brother was getting married soon, making his presence with the family essential. It was also stated that his mother was in very poor health and had no one to care for her. Considering these circumstances and family responsibilities, the court granted Sharjeel Imam relief on humanitarian grounds, allowing him to be released from jail for 10 days.

When did the violence occur in Delhi?
Violence erupted in the northeast areas of Delhi during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act and the National Register of Citizens in 2020. Fifty-three people were killed during the violence and arson.

Angry protesters had demonstrated against the central government’s decisions—the National Register of Citizens (NRC) and the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA). However, the Delhi Police’s allegations leveled several serious charges against the protesters.

Sharjeel Imam organized Delhi’s largest sit-in protest.
JNU student Sharjeel Imam organized the longest-running sit-in protest against the CAA and NRC in Shaheen Bagh, where the conspiracy to commit the Delhi riots was hatched. Besides Sharjeel, former JNU student Umar Khalid, students from Jamia Millia Islamia, and IITs also played a major role. Furthermore, a WhatsApp group of minority students at JNU also played a significant role in the conspiracy.

This claim was made by the Delhi Police in the charge sheet filed in court. According to a senior Special Cell official, Sharjeel’s statement was included in the conspiracy charge sheet. According to this, on December 5th, more than 300 students gathered at JNU under the banner of a minority organization. On December 6th, thousands of pamphlets were distributed from cabs in Okhla, Nizamuddin, and Old Delhi. They were also distributed in several towns and cities.