Delhi Riots: Court Frames Charges Against Five Men For Damaging Properties Of Persons From Muslim Community

A Delhi Court yesterday framed charges against five men in a case connected to the 2020 North-East Delhi riots for damaging the properties of persons belonging to the Muslim community.

Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala framed charges against Ankit, Sourabh Sharma, Rohit, Rahul Kumar and Sachin for the offences punishable under Section 148 (committing riot being armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly), 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 380 (theft in dwelling house), 427 (mischief), 435/436 (Mischief by fire) and 450 (house trespass to commit any offence punishable with imprisonment for life) of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.

The court said that the statement given by one of the complainants Ali Ahmad and two police officials showed that there was an unlawful assembly which assembled on February 25, 2020, and vandalised the properties belonging to Muslim Community.

“They trespassed into houses of the victims so as to vandalise and set it on fire. Thus, they were acting out of a common object being shared by all the members of that assembly i.e. to damage the properties of persons from Muslim community,” the court said.

The FIR was registered by Mohd. Iliyas Khan alleging that some individuals had set on fire a mosque as well as his house and also looted ornaments and some cash.

Eight more complaints were clubbed in the case for investigation. However, only two complaints were prosecuted in the second supplementary chargesheet, by Khan and Ahmad.

In his statement, Ahmad stated that the rioters started vandalism and arson in the mosque, raised slogan that “already they had burnt a number of houses of Mullo (Muslims) and would set more fires in the street”.

He also deposed that the rioters entered into the house of Iliyas, took away the goods and set it on fire. They were raising slogans of “Jai Shree Ram”, Ahmad said.

The court took note of the statement of two police officials who pointed out the five accused persons from the CCTV footages as the members of the mob which vandalized and set ablaze house of Iliyas and Ahmad.

“The statement given by Ali Ahmad and above mentioned two police officials, do show that there was an unlawful assembly, which had assembled in Gali No.12, SBS Colony on 25.02.2020 at about 11AM and they were vandalising the properties belonging to Muslim Community,” the court said.

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