Sharjeel Imam moves Delhi court seeking two weeks’ interim bail to contest Bihar elections

Activist Sharjeel Imam, accused of being part of a “larger conspiracy” behind the 2020 Delhi riots, has approached a court seeking interim bail for two weeks to contest the upcoming Bihar Assembly elections.

The Assembly polls are due to be held in two phases on November 6 and November 11, while the votes will be counted on November 14.

Imam has filed the application before Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai of the Karkardooma Courts, who is hearing the Delhi riots case.

The activist has sought bail from October 15 to October 29 to contest as an independent candidate from the Bahadurganj constituency in Kishanganj district.

Polling in Bahadurganj will take place during the second phase of the elections.

In his petition, Imam described himself as a “political prisoner and a student activist”.

He said that as an independent candidate, he has no political party support and that only his younger brother, who is also caring for their ailing mother, is available to assist with his nomination and campaign arrangements.

Imam added that the process of filing nomination papers for the Assembly elections in the state begins on October 13 and ends on October 20, making it essential that he be present in his constituency to submit his nomination.

The activist has been in jail for more than five years.

He was...

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