Anti-CAA activist Sharjeel Usmani granted bail; Aligarh court order notes he is a 'bright student'

Former AMU student leader Sharjeel Usmani, who was lodged in jail in connection with anti-CAA protests, was granted bail and released from jail on Wednesday. The bail was reportedly granted on 24 August. While granting bail to Usmani, who is the son of a senior faculty member at the Aligarh Muslim University, the court noted his academic record and that he was not arrested from the scene of the crime and no incriminating evidence was found on him at the time of arrest, PTI reported. “The academic records of the accused manifests that he has been a bright student. He has written many articles which are also available on records,” the court was quoted as saying by Bar and Bench. “Keeping the accused further in jail will definitely serve no purpose at all. Therefore, in consideration of the undergone period in jail by the accused and his academic records, inter alia, the case is fit and proper to grant bail to the accused,” the statement added. Sharjeel was one of those who led protests against the CAA-NRC-NPR at the AMU campus, which turned violent on 15 December 2020. Usmani was arrested on 10 July by the ATS in Azamgarh. He was wanted in different cases under various sections of the IPC in connection with the anti-CAA protests at AMU in December last year. He has written coloumns for media houses, including Firstpost , and has been a prominent voice in protesting against the CAA and NRC. However, he has also courted controversy for expressing solidarity with Sharukh Pathan who was arrested for brandishing a weapon and then firing bullets at a protest site in New Delhi. According to reports, AMU students were protesting peacefully against the newcitizenship law since 13 December but situation tensed up two days later when police clashed with angry students. They were lathi-charged by the para military force and Uttar Pradesh Police, who also fired tear gas shells, rubber bullets and pellets at them.