Guwahati: The Supreme Court on Friday adjourned the bail plea of activist Sharjeel Imam, whose alleged remarks on Assam’s “chicken neck” corridor during the anti-CAA protests have remained central to his legal troubles.
The matter, clubbed with that of co-accused Umar Khalid in the 2020 Delhi riots conspiracy case, will now be heard on September 22, 2025.
Imam, a 37-year-old former JNU scholar and IIT Bombay graduate, was arrested on January 28, 2020, under charges of sedition and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA).
Prosecutors allege his speeches, particularly at Aligarh Muslim University on January 16, 2020, incited secessionist sentiment.
He had urged protestors to “block the Siliguri Corridor” — the narrow 22-km stretch linking mainland India with Assam and the Northeast — to pressure the government into rolling back the Citizenship (Amendment) Act (CAA) and the National Register of Citizens (NRC).
Authorities claim the remark, widely referred to as the “chicken neck” speech, was part of a conspiracy that fueled the February 2020 Delhi riots, which left 53 dead and more than 700 injured. Imam, however, was not present during the violence. His supporters argue his statements were rhetorical and part of non-violent protest strategy.
Imam faces multiple cases across five states and has spent over five years in detention. He is charged under IPC Sections 124A (sedition), 153A (promoting enmity), and provisions of the UAPA. In March 2025, investigators described him as a “kingpin” of the riot conspiracy.
Senior advocates appearing for Imam pressed for his release, highlighting prolonged incarceration without trial and stressing constitutional protections of free speech. But the bench of Justices Aravind Kumar and N.V. Anjaria deferred the hearing citing incomplete documents.
The Delhi High Court, which earlier denied him bail on September 2, observed that Imam’s role was “grave” and part of a “premeditated conspiracy.”