A Mumbai Sessions Court has denied anticipatory bail to two students of the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS) who allegedly raised slogans demanding the release of activists Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid during an unauthorized campus event held in memory of late academic and activist G.N. Saibaba.
The case arose from a gathering organized on the TISS campus in October 2025 to commemorate the first death anniversary of Saibaba. According to police, the event was conducted without prior permission from the institute administration or law enforcement authorities. Videos and photographs from the event later surfaced on social media, prompting police action.
The Trombay Police registered an FIR against several students under provisions relating to unlawful assembly, disobedience of lawful orders, and violations under the Maharashtra Police Act. The complaint was initiated following concerns raised by the TISS administration and public scrutiny of the event.
While considering anticipatory bail applications, the Sessions Court distinguished between the roles allegedly played by different students. The court granted pre-arrest bail to seven students, holding that mere attendance at the memorial event or downloading and possessing literature authored by Maoist writers, without more, would not amount to a criminal offence.
However, the court declined similar relief to two students who were allegedly involved in raising slogans seeking the release of Sharjeel Imam and Umar Khalid. The court found that the allegations against them required deeper examination at the investigation stage and therefore did not warrant anticipatory bail.
The ruling highlights the continuing judicial scrutiny of cases involving campus activism, political expression, and the limits of criminal liability arising from participation in public events. It also reiterates the principle that possession or reading of literature, by itself, cannot automatically establish criminal intent absent evidence of unlawful conduct.
The matter remains under investigation, and further proceedings are expected before the appropriate criminal courts.