Delhi Govt, MHA Nod To Prosecute JNU's Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam Under Anti-Terror Law

The Aam Aadmi Party government in Delhi and the Union Home Ministry have permitted the prosecution sanction against former Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) student leader Umar Khalid and PhD scholar Sharjeel Imam in connection with the north-east Delhi riots.

Following the nod, the police can now name them in their supplementary charge sheet.

In a late evening statement, the government said that this is a purely procedural matter, adding that the elected government has no involvement in this.

"Delhi government has not stopped prosecution in any case in the last five years, including those pertaining to AAP MLAs and party leaders," the party tweeted.

The sanction has been given against Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and Faizan Khan in the Delhi riots case, in which they were booked under the anti-terror Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA), the police said.

"We have received prosecution sanction against Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and Khan in connection with a case registered against them under the UAPA. We have received sanctions from both the Delhi government and the Ministry of Home Affairs," the officer said.

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police had applied last month for prosecution sanctions against Umar Khalid, Sharjeel Imam and Faizan Khan.

The prosecution sanctions were approved by the MHA and Delhi government a fortnight ago, he said.

"To prosecute one under section 13 of the UAPA, we need sanction from the Ministry of Home Affairs, which we have already received. For prosecution under section -- 16, 17 and 18 of the UAPA, we have received sanction from the Delhi government," the officer said.

Umar Khalid was arrested on September 13 under the UAPA act in a case related to communal violence in northeast Delhi.

Reacting to the permission granted by the Delhi government, Umar Khalid's father SQR Ilyas tweeted, "Arvind Kejriwal unveiled."

"Mr Kejriwal, each and every betrayal won't be forgotten," JNU Students' Union president Aishe Ghosh tweeted.

The Special Cell of the Delhi Police had named 15 accused in its charge sheet under the provisions of stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in connection with the north-east Delhi riots that broke out in the national capital in February.

Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid have also been arrested under the stringent UAPA in the case, however, no charge sheet has been filed yet.

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