Sharjeel Imam is rotting in jail since the last four years. His cousin, Farah Nishat, has qualified for the 32nd Bihar Judicial Service Examination, earning the distinction of a potential judge. For the first time, happiness has visited his family since his prolonged imprisonment
By Kamran Khan
The story originates from Kako village in Bihar’s Jehanabad district, where Sharjeel Imam, a JNU student (also, a former IIT student) , now rotting in jail for almost four years for making a speech during the massive non-violent Citizenship Amendment Bill protests in Delhi and across the country. The peaceful protests were also led by the mothers and daughters of Shaheen Bagh near Jamia Millia Islamia university in Delhi.
Despite the prolonged and unjust hardship and isolation in prison, there is good news for Sharjeel. His cousin, Farah Nishat, has recently qualified for the 32nd Bihar Judicial Service Examination, earning the distinction of a potential judge.
Muzzammil Imam, Farah’s brother and Sharjeel’s cousin, who has been fighting for Sharjeel’s bail, shared an emotional post on social media about her achievement. The post only said, “This is the philosophy of life…” This incomplete sentence expressed his deepest feelings.
Sharjeel’s late father, Akbar Imam, was a leader in Janata Dal (U) led by Nitish Kumar, once again an ally of the BJP in Bihar. He contested in the Jehanabad assembly seat in 2005. He lost to the RJD candidate by a small margin of 447 votes. He died of cancer in 2014.
Sharjeel is highly educated and a brilliant scholar. Individual. He holds a master’s degree in technology from IIT, Bombay, and studied history in JNU. He was doing his Ph.D in JNU, from where Umar Khalid finished his PhD on the tribal history of Jharkhand from the Centre for Historical Studies (CHS), JNU.
He has been charged with treason for making a speech. Human rights groups say that his punishment has been too excessive and unjust for merely making a speech. Especially when highly inflammatory speeches are routinely made by Hindutva leaders. He is also accused in the Delhi riots case. Sharjeel was arrested on January 28, 2020.
Farah Nishat’s success has brought pride to her family, loved ones and community. The people of Kako village in Jehanabad district in Bihar, her ancestral home, are overjoyed. Villagers here consider this is the first happy moment for Sharjeel’s family since his imprisonment almost four years ago. Farah Nishat’s achievement has brought back the smile in her family. Indeed, her dedication, brilliance and hard work has helped her reach this position. It is a matter of pride for the entire village.
Her beginnings were humble. She did her schooling in Kako village. Her mother, Akbari Khatoon, is a housewife, and her father, Nishat Akhtar, is a retired government employee. She pursued law at Hidayatullah National University, Raipur.
In 2018, Farah began working as a Law Clerk cum Research Assistant in the Supreme Court, gaining a close understanding of the judicial system. Afterward, she started preparing for the Bihar Judicial Service Examination.
She credits her success to her parents, sister, brother-in-law, and younger siblings, who guided her all through her academic and personal life. She cleared both the preliminary and main exams through self-study with support from her family, seeking coaching only for the interview.
Reflecting on her journey, Farah said that after completing her law degree and internship, she decided to pursue something different. She worked hard for her studies for eight to ten hours every day. During the lockdown, she interned with Justice R Bhanumathi; the experience inspired her. She worked with him for two years, and this mentorship confirmed her decision to become a judge.
Farah enjoys reading, teaching children, and watching serials. She is committed to work for society, especially for those in the margins, with timely and fair decisions.