Delhi Police files chargesheet in December 15 Jamia violence case, names Sharjeel Imam as instigator

Sharjeel Imam, former JNU student, who had been arrested by the Delhi Police earlier, has been named as the instigator behind the violence in Jamia Nagar and New Friends Colony on December 15 last year.

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police has filed its chargesheet in connection with the December 15 violence in and around Jamia Milia University and New Friends Colony in south Delhi, sources said on Tuesday (February 18, 2020). According to sources, in its chargesheet, which was filed before Delhi`s Saket court on February 13, the Delhi Police has named 18 persons in connection with violence in Jamia Milia and New Friends Colony.

The 18 people, named in its chargesheet, have been charged with rioting, damage to public property and obstruction to the public servant.

Sharjeel Imam, a former JNU student, who had been arrested by the Delhi Police and booked in a sedition case earlier, has been named as the instigator behind the violence in Jamia University and the New Friends Colony on December 15 last year.

In its chargesheet, the Delhi Police also placed the CCTV footage, details of the call records and the statements of over 100 witnesses who were examined by it in connection with the case as evidence.

The investigation conducted by the Delhi Police revealed that empty bullet cartridges that were found during the violence belonged to 3.2 mm pistol. 

Delhi Police will also release more photographs for identification in the rioting. The chargesheet was filed before Delhi`s Saket court on February 13, the sources said.

So far, 17 arrests have been made in connection with the case - 9 from NFC and 8 from Jamia Milia University. According to Delhi Police, all of them are locals. Meanwhile, no Jamia University student has been chargesheeted in connection with the case. 

Chargesheet was filed in Chief Metropolitan Magistrate's court under Sections 307, 147, 148.149 186 353 332 427, said sources. At least 95 people were injured during the violence, out of which 47 are police personnel, the chargesheet filed by the Delhi Police stated.

In its chargessheet, the Delhi Police said that it was also probing the role of Popular Front of India (PFI) into the December 15 violence in the national capital.  

Protests against the newly-enacted Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) had turned violent on December 15 near Delhi`s Jamia Nagar. Several buses were set afire during the violence in which police and protesters sustained injuries. The police had used batons and teargas shells to disperse the violent protesters.