GUWAHATI: Assam minister Himanta Biswa Sarma has said that the interrogation of Sharjeel Imam would continue and the provisions of law would be applicable against anyone found to have had links with him.
Sarma said that media reports have alleged that Sharjeel, who is currently in custody of Assam Police here, had links with some intellectuals and journalists of the state.
“So, while his interrogation would continue to know more about the case and his association, if there is evidence against anyone of any violation of law to establish links with Imam, then action would be taken against the particular individual or individuals under due provisions of law,” he informed a section of the media.
A PhD student of JNU, Sharjeel is alleged to have made a seditious statement, saying “Assam needs to be cut off from the rest of India”.
The Assam government subsequently registered a case against him after taking cognizance of the seditious statement and verifying the authenticity of the audio clip.
“From the statement he had made, it is clear that Imam had geographical knowledge about Assam and the region,” Sarma said.
It may be mentioned that Sharjeel was arrested by Delhi Police from Jehanabad in Bihar on January 28 and finally brought to Assam on February 20, 2020 following which he has been in police custody here and interrogated by the crime branch of Assam Police.
Police have said that while Sharjeel has not revealed much during interrogation, he had “visited the state earlier and knew many people from Assam”.
According to reports, Sharjeel had earlier been to several places in Jorhat, Goalpara and Dhubri district along with JNU students from Assam.