Sharjeel Imam’s AMU speech neither gave call for anyone to bear arms nor incited violence: HC

Allahabad: Sharjeel Imam’s speech at the Aligarh Muslim University neither gave the call for anyone to bear arms nor incited any violence as a result of it, the Allahabad High Court has said granting him bail in a sedition case.

Justice Saumitra Dayal Singh granted bail on Saturday to Imam who was booked under sections 124A, 153A, 153B, and 505(2) of the IPC at Civil Lines Police Station in Aligarh district of Uttar Pradesh.

”Having heard learned counsel for the parties and having perused the record, without referring to the exact allegation made against the applicant, it may be noted that on an undisputed basis neither the applicant called anyone to bear arms nor any violence was incited as a result of the speech delivered by the applicant,” the judge said in the bail order.

”In view of the above, without expressing any opinion on the final merits of the case, let the applicant involved in the aforesaid crime be released on bail on his furnishing a personal bond of Rs 50,000 with two sureties of the like amount to the satisfaction of the court concerned,” the judge said.

Imam was arrested for allegedly making an inflammatory speech at the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.