Assam crime branch gets extended 4-day custody of Sharjeel Imam

Guwahati: Assam Police crime branch on Monday got an extended custody of four days against Sharjeel Imam on the second day of hearing in the sedition case filed against him by the state police.

As per sources, Imam was produced before the court at 11.30 am on Monday and the state crime branch officials sought for another 10 days’ custody of Imam for further interrogation but the Kamrup Chief Judicial Magistrate court on Monday granted only four days.

Imam, one of the key organisers of Saheen Bagh protests in New Delhi and who allegedly sounded “cut off Assam” slogan in one of the protests, is currently lodged at the central jail in Guwahati. Imam is likely to be produced at Guwahati CJM court for his third hearing on February 28.

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Notably, earlier on February 24, Imam was produced at the Guwahati CJM court for the first time after a sedition case was registered against him following a controversial speech delivered during a 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, Assam government registered a case against him and following which Imam was brought to Guwahati by a team of state police personnel and Tihar Jail officials on February 19.

Imam, who is a former JNU student, was arrested by Delhi police from Jehanabad in Bihar on January 28 and was booked under 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 following his controversial statement.