Tue Apr 29 11:52:48 UTC 2025: **Supreme Court Considers Clubbing Sedition Cases Against Sharjeel Imam**
NEW DELHI, April 29, 2025 – The Supreme Court of India is considering consolidating multiple sedition cases against Sharjeel Imam, a former Jawaharlal Nehru University student. Imam faces FIRs in Delhi, Uttar Pradesh, Assam, Manipur, and Arunachal Pradesh, all stemming from allegedly inflammatory speeches made in 2020.
The court expressed concerns about the potential for “double jeopardy” if Imam were tried separately in each state for the same offense. Chief Justice Sanjiv Khanna noted that the charges arise from a single speech circulated widely online. The court suggested staying the trials in the other states pending the completion of the Delhi trial.
The Additional Solicitor General, representing Delhi, argued against consolidating the cases, citing differences in the mobs allegedly instigated in each state, despite the shared source material. Imam’s lawyer countered that his client should not be subjected to multiple trials and prosecutions across the country for a single speech.
The Supreme Court adjourned the case for two weeks to further consider the matter. The Delhi Police initially arrested Imam in January 2020 under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) for speeches allegedly made during protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act.
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