HC grants more time to Delhi Police to file additional affidavit on Sharjeel Imam's plea

Delhi High Court on Wednesday granted more time to Delhi Police to file an additional affidavit on JNU student Sharjeel Imam's plea challenging the extension of time to file a chargesheet under Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA).

A bench of Justice V Kameshwar Rao allowed more time to Delhi Police to file the additional affidavit in the matter and slated it for further hearing on June 25.

The High Court is hearing a plea challenging a trial court order, which granted three month's time to Delhi Police to file chargesheet in a case against Imam related to inflammatory speeches during protests against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Meanwhile, Imam has also filed for a default bail claiming that the chargesheet wasn't filed in the stipulated time period and that there were no UAPA charges against him till then.

Default bail is sort of a rap on the police for not completing the probe and filing the final report within the prescribed limit of days of the first remand of the accused.

Delhi Police had recently submitted before the High Court its reply opposing the bail application filed by Imam and said that no provisions have been violated and added that there is good and substantial cause for enlargement of time for the investigation.

"Sharjeel Imam by way of his speech was addressing a particular religious section of the society and creating disaffection towards government established by the law by creating the unfounded fears in their minds regarding Citizenship Amendment Act and the process of National Register of Citizens, which is yet to be implemented in any manner throughout the country barring Assam," Delhi Police said.

The default bail application claimed that no notice was given to Imam's lawyer informing them about the application of the special cell seeking the extension of the time to file the chargesheet in view of invocation of UAPA charges against him.

As per the rules under the Code of Criminal Procedure, the chargesheet needs to be filed within 60/90 days as per the offence. However, for UAPA cases, agencies have 180 days to file the chargesheet.

Imam was arrested by the Delhi Police on January 28 from Bihar for allegedly delivering a seditious speech and abetting violence in Jamia Millia Islamia area in December last year.

( With inputs from ANI )