Delhi Police book Sharjeel Imam for sedition

The Crime Branch of Delhi police on Sunday booked Sharjeel Imam, the co-ordinator of Shaheen Bagh protests, for his controversial "cut off Assam from India" speech that he allegedly made a few days ago at the protest site.

Imam has been slapped with charges of sedition and inciting enmity between communities under Sections 124A, 153A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code (IPC).

"It was noticed that one Sharjeel Imam, permanent resident of Bihar and former student of JNU has been delivering very inflammatory and instigating speeches in his opposition to CAA and NRC. He had previously delivered one such speech in Jamia on December 13 and thereafter has given one even more inflammatory and instigating speech against the government, which is being widely circulated on social media," the Delhi police said.

"These speeches have the potential to harm the harmony between different religious segments of the society and the unity and integrity of India. A case FIR under sections 124A, 153A and 505 has been registered by SIT Crime Branch against Imam for delivering the controversial speeches," it added.

Separately, a case has been registered against Imam by Uttar Pradesh police for his controversial speech delivered during the students protest at Aligarh Muslim University on January 16 against the Citizenship Amendment Act and National Register of Citizens (NRC).

Assam Police too on Saturday registered an FIR against Imam for allegedly inciting people to "cut off" Assam from the rest of India.

A series of videos have gone viral on social media in which Imam, the chief co-ordinator of Shaheen Bagh protest, is heard saying: "If we all come together, then we can separate the Northeast from India. If we cannot do it permanently, then at least for 1-2 months we can do this."

"It is our responsibility to cut Assam from India. When this happens, only then the government will listen to us," he is heard saying further in the video.