JNU student Sharjeel Imam's police remand extended by four days

Guwahati: A local court on Monday extended by four days the police remand of JNU student Sharjeel Imam who was arrested on charges of sedition and brought to the state last week.

Imam was brought to Assam from New Delhi on February 20 and produced in court which had initially sent him to four days' police remand, they said.

Upon the expiry of his police remand, he was on Monday produced before the Kamrup (Metro) Chief Judicial Magistrate.

The student, who came into the limelight during the ongoing protests at Shaheen Bagh against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, was arrested from Bihar's Jehanabad on January 28 for allegedly making inflammatory speeches at the Jamia Millia Islamia University and in Aligarh.

Imam was slapped with a sedition case after his speeches went viral on social media wherein he was heard allegedly speaking about Assam's possible secession from the country in the wake of the CAA.

A case under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) has been registered against him in Assam.

On February 18, the Delhi Police had named Imam as an "instigator" in its charge sheet filed against 17 people in a case related to violence during protests against the CAA at New Friends Colony near Jamia Millia Islamia last year.

Meanwhile, Assam Finance Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma said the state government is keeping a tab on the developments related to Imam's interrogation.

On reports claiming that Imam had contact with AIUDF supremo Badruddin Ajmal for some years, Sarma told reporters, "I have seen it in the media only. If there is any connection found between them for unlawful activities, we will take the necessary action."