NRC CAA activist Sharjeel Imam, who is currently behind the bars in Delhi’s Tihar Jail over Delhi riots case, has moved to Delhi court seeking interim bail for contesting the upcoming Biahr assembly elections. Imam is set to contest Bihar elections, which are scheduled to be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, from Bahadurgunj constituency in Kishanganj district as an independent candidate. Bahadurganj will to polls on November 11.
According to Bar and Bench, Imam’s interim bail application has been submitted before Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai at Karkardooma Courts, who is presiding over the Delhi riots conspiracy case.
Bahadurganj, the constituency Imam aims to contest from, is currently held by Mohammad Anzar Nayeemi. Elected in 2020 on an AIMIM ticket, Nayeemi later defected to the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD).
After being denied by the Delhi High Court last month, Imam’s broader bail request is currently being considered by the Supreme Court. In the larger conspiracy case pertaining to the Delhi riots in February 2020, the High Court had refused him relief. His legal team argues that he shouldn’t be held responsible for the prolonged period of his custody because it was caused by systemic delays in the trial process.
His choice to run for office comes months after Tahir Hussain and Shifa-ur Rehman, two other Delhi rioters, ran for Delhi assembly elections on AIMIM tickets.
