Uttar Pradesh Police launches manhunt to nab Sharjeel Imam

The Uttar Pradesh government has formed 16 teams to search him in Bihar, Delhi and Madhya Pradesh. According to a Republic report, Sharjeel was traced within the periphery of the state in the last 96 hours, however, police are trying to trace this location for 12 hours.

A team of Assam Police has reached Delhi, the report said and four teams have been sent to Delhi, two to Imam's hometown Bihar's Jahanabad district.
Aligarh Police and Assam government, Delhi Police has also booked Sharjeel on charges of sedition.

In the meanwhile, after Aligarh Police and Assam government, Delhi Police has also booked Sharjeel on charges of sedition.

According to an India Today report, in its FIR, the Delhi Police wrote, "It was noticed that one Sharjil Imam, permanent resident of Bihar and student of JNU has been delivering very inflammatory and instigatory speeches in his opposition to CAA & NRC. He had previously delivered one such speech in Jamia on 13/12/2019 and thereafter has given one even more inflammatory and instigatory speech against the Government, which is being widely circulated on Social media. These speeches have the potential to harm the religious harmony between different religious segments of the society and the unity and integrity of India."

"A case has been registered by SIT Crime Branch and is under investigation against him for his delivering the above speeches."

Indian Penal Code related to offence by words, either spoken or written causes disaffection against government established by law, Promoting enimity between different religious groups with an intent to create disharmony and Statements conducing to public mischief.

The case has been registered under "various sections of Indian Penal Code related to offense by words, either spoken or written causes disaffection against government established by law, Promoting enmity between different religious groups with an intent to create disharmony and Statements conducing to public mischief" the report added.

In a video shared by BJP leader Sambit Patra on Saturday, Sharjeel Imam can be seen calling upon people to "agitate and cut off Assam and the Northeast permanently from rest of India, if not permanently then at least for a few months."

Meanwhile, a Twitter handle identified as the official handle of the Shaheen Bagh protest, distancing itself from Sharjeel Imam, posted a statement: "The protest at Shaheen Bagh is to protect the constitutional morality of this nation. No one individual's videos, statements or articles can represent the movement." They also termed the controversy as a "distorted media narrative".