Assam: Sharjeel Imam’s interrogation underway in Guwahati

Guwahati: Sharjeel Imam, one of the main organisers of Shaheen Bagh protests who allegedly raised ‘cut off Assam’ slogans is currently being interrogated at Panbazar police station in Guwahati, confirmed sources on Friday.

Sharjeel reached Guwahati on Thursday and was produced before the Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM), Kamrup-M the same evening. He was taken to the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury Hospital in the city before being produced before the CJM.

The crime branch had sought 14 days’ custody but the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate granted only four.

Shantanu Bhattacharya, public prosecutor, said that Sections 121 A, 124 A, 153 A, B, read with Section 13 (1) of IPC and 15 A (iii), 18 of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act have been pressed against Imam.

Also Read: Assam: Crime branch gets 4 days custody to quiz Sharjeel Imam 

He was brought to Guwahati to be interrogated in a sedition case registered against him for his controversial speech delivered during the anti-CAA protests held at Shaheen Bagh. Sharjeel allegedly made certain seditious statements like “Assam should be cut off from rest of India”.

Taking cognizance of the comment and after verifying the authenticity of the audio clip, the Assam government registered a case against him.

Sharjeel was to reach Guwahati by 4 pm but as his train was running late, he reached the city after 7 pm. He was produced before the CMJ around 8 pm.

A team of Assam Police personnel and Tihar Jail officials accompanied Sharjeel to Guwahati. The former JNU student was arrested from Jehanabad in Bihar on January 28.

A team of Assam Police who was camping in New Delhi for the past few days was handed over the custody of Sharjeel by the Patiala House court earlier on Wednesday.

Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) members staged a massive protest outside Guwahati Railway Station as Sharjeel was being dropped in amid tight security.