New Delhi, Sept. 28 -- The Delhi High Court on Monday, September 28, directed Tihar jail authorities to respond to a petition filed by incarcerated activist Sharjeel Imam, who requested access to research material stored on a flash drive through a prison computer to finish his PhD.

Justice Sanjeev Narula told the jail authorities to submit a status report. Imam's counsel, Advocate Ahmad Ibrahim, informed the court that the activist has been in Tihar jail since January 2020 and was arrested while he was in the final year of his PhD.

The counsel noted that both Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) and the University Grants Commission (UGC) approved Imam's PhD synopsis. The plea requested permission for Imam to access research files on an off...