Sharjeel Imam Surrenders, but Media Continues to Harp on his ‘Arrest’

New Delhi: Sharjeel Imam, a student of Jawaharlal Nehru University, who has been booked in cases of alleged sedition across several states, surrendered in his hometown in Bihar’s Jehanabad on Tuesday. 

“I have surrendered to the Delhi Police on 28 .1.2020 at 3 PM. I am ready and willing to to operate (sic) with the investigation. I have full faith in due process of law. My safety and security are now in the hand of Delhi Police,” read Imam’s Twitter status after news of his “arrest” started breaking in media outlets.

Imam, has been booked by the Delhi Police under Section 124A (sedition) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), for making allegedly inflammatory speeches during anti-CAA-NRC-NPR protests.

However, prominent media outlets continued to use the word “arrest” in headlines, giving the entire development a slant. Such headlines also gave another opportunity to BJP leaders, especially Home Minister Amit Shah, who have been whipping up a divisive frenzy in poll speeches in Delhi against peaceful anti-CAA-NRC-NPR protesters in Shaheen Bagh. 

Such media headlines continued despite Imam’s lawyers repeatedly tweeting that the youth had surrendered.

Many also blamed the Bihar Police for the ‘slant’ given to the surrender of Imam, as it was the Director General of Police, Gupteshwar Pandey, who sad that Imam was “arrested from his native Kako village” in Jehanabad.

Imam, who was also part of the Shaheen Bhagh protest initially, mainly led by women, was wanted by the police of several states, including Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, Arunachal Pradesh and Delhi. 

However, he withdrew from the protest citing various reasons. 

Incidentally, when the cases of alleged sedition were slapped on Imam for some of his speeches, especially the one in Assam, Shaheen Bagh’s official Twitter handle immediately distanced itself from his views.

Imam, a PhD student at the Jawaharlal Nehru University's Centre for Historical Studies, was actively involved in protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA), National Register of Citizens (NRC) and National Population Register (NPR).

Said to be in his early 30s, Imam has a degree from IIT Mumbai and later moved to Delhi for pursuing research in JNUs.

According to PTI, his brother was picked up by police in a bid to trace the anti-CAA activist.

Before his arrest, his mother Afshan Rahim had appeared before the media in Jehanabad and had said that her son was "not a law-breaker and would surrender to the investigating agencies" and that he had been in favour of "calling off" the agitation at Shaheen Bagh, which has been in news for 24X7 protest, mostly by women.

She said Imam “was obviously disturbed by the CAA and fears over the National Register of Citizens (NRC) being implemented across the country which, he said, would affect not just Muslims but all poor people", adding that was calling for a 'chakkajam' (road blockade).

Imam's late father, the late Akbar Imam, was a local Janata Dal (United) leader who had unsuccessfully contested an Assembly election in his lifetime.

Imam had been involved in organising the protests at Shaheen Bagh but came into limelight after a purported video clip went viral wherein he could be heard making some ‘disturbing’ comments while addressing a gathering at  Aligarh Muslim University, following which he was booked under sedition charge in the UP town.

Thereafter, Delhi police claimed he had given an "inflammatory" speech earlier on the Jamia Milia Islamia campus, too, and lodged an FIR against him in the national capital.

Besides, another case was lodged under the stringent Unlawful Activities (prevention) Act against him in Assam, taking cognisance of Imam’s purported remark that Assam could be "severed from India, even if for a few months" as a result of CAA.

Police in Manipur and Arunachal Pradesh also lodged FIRs against the JNU scholar, over his speech in which he allegedly threatened to "cut off" Assam and the Northeast from India.

Following the FIRs, the chief proctor of the JNU summoned Imam to appear before him by February 3 and explain his position on the alleged provocative speeches made by him.

(With inputs from PTI)