Delhi Riots Accused Sharjeel Imam Tests Coronavirus Positive; Police Delays His Transfer From Guwahati Jail

Imam, who came into the limelight during the Shaheen Bagh protest, was arrested from Bihar's Jehanabad on January 28.

(File Photo/ Getty)

New Delhi: Controversial Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student and activist Sharjeel Imam has reportedly been found infected with novel Coronavirus. The PhD student at JNU's Centre for Historical Studies is currently lodged in the Guwahati Central Jail in Assam for sedition charges after his alleged 'anti-national and inflammatory' speech delivered on December 13 during the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.  Last week on July 17, a team of Delhi Police Special Cell had reached Assam to take the custody of Sharjeel and transfer him to Delhi for further proceedings. Before the transfer procedure could begin, Sharjeel Imam and the Delhi Police team underwent screening for COVID-19. In the tests, the members of Delhi police team were found negative for the infection while the activist tested positive for Coronavirus infection. As per the latest development, Delhi cops have decided to delay the transfer of Sharjeel Imam till he is cured of the disease and his report is negative. Imam, who came into the limelight during the Shaheen Bagh protest, was arrested from Bihar's Jehanabad on January 28. An FIR was registered against Imam by Delhi Police on January 25 under IPC sections 124 A (sedition) and 153 A (promoting or attempting to promote disharmony or feelings of enmity on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, caste or community or any other ground whatsoever) among others. Imam had been booked for sedition on January 26 after a video of his comments on Assam, shot on January 25 in Delhi, went viral on social media. Besides the Delhi Police, police in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, and Uttar Pradesh have also registered cases against him under various sections, including sedition.