Delhi HC seeks Tihar Jail’s stand on Sharjeel Imam’s plea to access PhD material
Delhi High Court seeks Tihar Jail's response on Sharjeel Imam's plea to access PhD research material stored on a pen drive.
The Delhi High Court on Monday has sought a formal response from the Tihar Jail authorities regarding a plea filed by former JNU student Sharjeel Imam. Imam, who is an accused in the 2020 North-East Delhi riots case, is seeking permission to access research material stored on a pen drive to complete his PhD while in judicial custody.
The Request for Academic Access
Advocate Ahmad Ibrahim, representing Imam, informed the court that his client has been in custody since January 2020. At the time of his arrest, Imam was in the final year of his doctoral studies. The counsel highlighted that the synopsis for Imam’s research has already received approval from both the University Grants Commission (UGC) and Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU).
To facilitate his academic requirements, the plea requests that Imam be allowed to use a computer within the jail premises to access the files. To address security concerns, the following measures were proposed:
- The computer would remain completely offline, without any internet or Wi-Fi connectivity.
- The device would be used strictly under the direct supervision of jail officials.
- Jail authorities could transfer the files from the pen drive to the offline computer to maintain strict control.
The defense noted that the pen drive contains a vast collection of 2,132 files, including research articles, books, and screenshots of archival records essential for his doctoral work.
Prosecution and Jail Administration Stance
The Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) representing the Delhi Police stated that they do not oppose such a request, noting that a similar request had been made before the trial court. However, the prosecution indicated that the jail administration had previously raised objections to the proposed arrangement.
The prosecution suggested that the request could be considered on the condition that Imam identifies the specific materials he intends to access and that the entire process is conducted under official supervision.
Court Orders Status Report
After hearing the arguments from both sides, the High Court directed the Tihar Jail authorities to file a status report regarding the matter. The court has scheduled the next hearing for November 2, 2026.
Context of Recent Legal Developments
This development follows a recent decision by a trial court, where Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai granted Imam seven days of interim bail to attend the weddings of two of his first cousins. The court granted this relief from October 4 to October 10, 2024, upon a personal bond of Rs 50,000.
During that interim period, the court imposed strict conditions, including a ban on contacting witnesses or persons connected to the case, and a prohibition on using social media or interacting with the media. Imam was required to stay with family members at the wedding venues in Bihar and Delhi.