A Delhi court on Wednesday adjourned the bail hearing of activist Sharjeel Imam till July 23 after jail authorities submitted cell footage from June 30, ANI reported.
Imam, who has been accused in the 2020 Delhi riots larger conspiracy case, on July 4 alleged before the court that a Tihar Jail assistant superintendent along with eight to 10 persons had assaulted him in his cell on June 30. They also allegedly called him a terrorist and an anti-national.
On Wednesday, the footage could not be played because of the lack of technical support. It will be played on the next date of hearing.
Meanwhile, Imam’s counsel Ahmed Ibrahim told Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat that the activist is not a flight risk and nor can he influence witnesses or tamper with evidence. Ibrahim also said that Imam did not make any conscious call for violence.
However, Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad argued that there could not be a blanket stay on proceedings in the case and that formal and technical witnesses need to be examined.
Imam claimed in his petition that the persons who accompanied the jail official during the assault were convicts. He also alleged that those who entered his cell tried to place some contraband in his possession.
The jail superintendent did not take any action on the matter, the activist alleged.
Imam, a former student of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in Delhi, was charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in April 2020 for making alleged inflammatory speeches against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
Three months later, the police had accused him of sedition. A chargesheet against him said that his speeches incited the 2020 Delhi riots, in which 53 people, mostly Muslims, were killed.
While he was granted bail by the Allahabad High Court in November for his speech at Aligarh University, he did not walk free from Tihar jail as he was also charged in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case.
Limited-time offer: Big stories, small price. Keep independent media alive. Become a Scroll member today!
Our journalism is for everyone. But you can get special privileges by buying an annual Scroll Membership. Sign up today!