New Delhi, Sept. 28 -- The Delhi High Court on Monday sought the response of jail authorities on a plea by student activist Sharjeel Imam, who is in custody in a February 2020 northeast Delhi riots case, seeking access to research material stored on a pen drive to complete his PhD.
Justice Sanjeev Narula issued notice to the jail authorities and directed them to file a status report in the matter. The court fixed November 2 for next hearing.
Imam has sought access to research material on a pen drive using a standalone computer inside the prison premises, without any internet connectivity and under the supervision of Tihar jail staff.
Imam's counsel said he has been in custody since January 2020 and was in the final year of his PhD at the time of his arrest. His synopsis has been approved by the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU),
he added.
Delhi Police did not oppose Imam's plea, while jail authorities objected only to the pen drive.
Imam was arrested in 2020 under UAPA over the riots conspiracy.
Published by HT Digital Content Services with permission from Millennium Post.