Sharjeel Imam seeks interim bail to contest Bihar polls from jail

Accused in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy, Imam has filed a plea before Additional Sessions Judge Sammer Bajpai seeking 14-day interim bail. As a permanent Bihar resident arrested on August 25, 2020, midway through his JNU PhD, he has been in custody ever since. The plea highlights his desire to contest the upcoming Bihar assembly elections from the Bahadurganj seat as an Independent candidate.

“Since the applicant is a political prisoner and a student activist, he wishes to contest elections from his home state, Bihar.”

Imam requested bail from November 15 to 29 to handle nomination and campaigning. He notes that only his younger brother is available for these formalities, underscoring the personal stakes in this electoral bid.

Sharjeel Imam, born in 1988 in Kako village, Jehanabad district, Bihar, is a prominent student activist and scholar. An IIT Bombay alumnus with degrees in computer engineering, he pursued a PhD in modern history at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU). Known for his role in anti-CAA protests, Imam faced sedition charges over alleged inflammatory speeches, leading to his arrest in 2020. He remains incarcerated amid the larger Delhi riots conspiracy case, with supporters arguing the charges are politically motivated.