Sharjeel Imam: A Brilliant Mind Silenced by Institutional Bias, Prejudice, and Delay

Sharjeel Imam, an IIT Bombay alumnus and PhD scholar at Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU), has been detained since January 28, 2020, on sedition and Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) charges arising from speeches delivered during the anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) protests.

Despite clear academic credentials including a B.Tech–M.Tech in Computer Engineering and advanced degrees in Modern History, Imam’s repeated bail applications have been denied by trial and appellate courts, often citing his identity as a Muslim and unsubstantiated fears of communal unrest. His long pretrial incarceration, bench reshuffles, and delayed hearings for over five years demonstrate a failure of the Indian system to protect basic rights enshrined in the Constitution, especially for Muslim citizens. International forums such as the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) and several human rights groups have urged his release and speedy trial, but as of April 2025, he is still behind bars, his academic endeavors and civil liberties silenced in effect.

Academic Brilliance, Early Life, and Education

Sharjeel Imam was born in 1988 in Kako village, Jehanabad district of Bihar, to a family active in social and political life. Exhibiting exceptional scholastic aptitude, he attended Delhi Public School, Vasant Kunj, before securing admission to IIT Bombay, where he completed an integrated B.Tech–M.Tech in Computer Engineering– a feat achieved by less than 0.1% of applicants nationally.

Transition to Historical Scholarship

After working briefly as a software engineer and teaching assistant, Imam pivoted towards Modern History, enrolling at JNU’s Centre for Historical Studies. He completed his M.A. (2015), M.Phil. (2017), and began his PhD focusing on socio-political movements in modern India. His interdisciplinary journey from engineering to advanced historical research underscores a rare blend of quantitative rigor and qualitative insight.

Activism and Arrest, Speeches and Anti-CAA Protests

In December 2019 and January 2020, Imam delivered speeches at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), advocating peaceful “chakka jams” (road blockades) to protest CAA’s religious discrimination. While he clarified these actions were nonviolent, Delhi Police accused him of incitement, citing at least five FIRs across multiple states.

Arrest and Charge‐Sheet

On January 28, 2020, Imam was arrested under Sections 124A (sedition), 153A/B (promoting enmity), 505 (public mischief) of the IPC, along with multiple provisions of the UAPA. A Karkardooma Court later characterized him as a “kingpin of a larger conspiracy” to incite violence during the northeast Delhi riots, labeling his speeches “venomous” despite no direct evidence linking them to specific acts of violence.

Judicial Proceedings and Bail Pleas, Trial Court Denial

In October 2021, a Delhi trial court denied Imam bail, asserting his speeches “mobilised the public” and posed a recurrence risk of communal unrest, invoking UAPA’s stringent bail standard.

High Court and Supreme Court Interventions

While the Delhi High Court granted statutory bail in the sedition case in September 2022, it retained charges under the Delhi riots conspiracy, leaving Imam behind bars. An early hearing plea was rejected in September 2024, with the court deeming his bail petition appropriately scheduled without prioritization.

Protracted Delays and Bench Changes

Imam’s appeals have been listed over 60 times across seven different benches, repeatedly adjourned due to roster reshuffles, contravening the NIA Act’s three‐month hearing mandate. As of April 2025, he remains in Tihar Jail, unable to complete his doctorate after more than five years in custody.

Fundamental Rights and Academic Freedom, Indefinite Pre‐Trial Detention

The Supreme Court emphasizes timely trials to prevent injustice, yet Imam’s extended detention absent conclusive proof of violence violates Article 21’s guarantee of life and personal liberty.

Denial of Education

Imam’s incarceration has halted his PhD research, undermining Article 21(A)’s right to education and stifling academic freedom in India’s universities.

Identity‐Based Prejudice

Proceedings have repeatedly highlighted his Muslim identity, citing the salutation “As‐salamu alaykum” as evidence of communally targeted speech indicative of institutional biases against Muslim dissent.

International and Institutional Responses, USCIRF and Global Advocacy

The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) designated Imam a religious prisoner of conscience, demanding due process and release, highlighting India’s obligations under international human rights norms.

Calls from Human Rights Organizations

Civil society groups, including Article 14 and Front Line Defenders, have condemned procedural lapses and petitioned the Supreme Court to enforce its precedents on bail and trial expediency. Meanwhile, Al Jazeera and The Guardian have spotlighted Imam’s plight as emblematic of shrinking space for Muslim activism.

Summary

Sharjeel Imam's case interweaves academic excellence, peaceful protest, and prolonged judicial paralysis, exposing institutional shortcomings in India's defense of constitutional freedoms, particularly for marginalized groups. His ongoing detention without a final trial not only cuts short a promising academic life but also represents a larger diminution of civil freedoms. Enforcing the rule of law and ensuring prompt, evidence‐based decision-making is critical to the restoration of public trust in India's democratic processes and the protection of the fundamental rights of all citizens.

Mohammad Hesham Atik is a student pursuing Psychology from Jamia Millia Islamia.

Edited By: Khadija Khan

Disclaimer: The opinions expressed in this publication are those of the author. They do not purport to reflect the opinions or views of The Jamia Review or its members.