New Delhi: The Supreme Court on Friday (October 25) asked the Delhi High Court to hear expeditiously the bail plea filed by student activist Sharjeel Imam, an accused in the larger conspiracy case in 2020 Delhi riots, in an Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) case.
A bench comprising Bela M Trivedi and Justice SC Sharma refused to entertain Imam’s plea, which also sought bail under Article 32 of the Constitution.
Not pressing for bail at this stage and plea was to highlight delay in hearing, Imam’s counsel told apex court
Senior advocate Siddharth Dave, who appeared for Imam told the bench that his bail plea had been pending since 2022 and clarified that he was not pressing for bail at this stage and his plea was to highlight delay in hearing of Imam’s bail plea in the High Court.
Apex court granted Imam liberty to request High Court to hear his bail plea as expeditiously as possible
The apex, while noting that the High Court has fixed November 25 for hearing Imam’s bail plea, granted him liberty to request the High Court to hear his bail plea as expeditiously as possible and said that the High Court shall consider the said request.
“This being the writ petition filed under Article 32 of the constitution, we are not inclined to entertain the same. However, petitioner (Imam) shall be at liberty to request the high court to hear the bail application as expeditiously as possible preferably on November 25, as fixed by the high court. The high court shall consider the said request,” the bench said.
Imam had moved the top court after his application for early hearing of his bail plea was rejected by the High Court. He had moved the High Court against a trial court order refusing to grant him bail in the larger conspiracy case.
Imam, several others were booked under stringent provisions of UAPA
Imam and several others were booked by the Delhi Police under the stringent provisions of UAPA and the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the “masterminds” of the “larger conspiracy” behind the 2020 Delhi riots. He has been in custody in the case since January 28, 2020.
