Delhi violence: Court dismisses bail plea of two in salon, godown burning cases

A Delhi court judge Vinod Yadav passed two orders on Wednesday, in which he dismissed the bail plea of two persons arrested in separate cases, during the communal violence in northeast Delhi in February, after the police said they cannot be enlarged on bail as the investigation was at a crucial stage and other co-accused were to be arrested.

New Delhi: A Delhi court has dismissed bail applications of two persons arrested in separate cases of burning of a salon and an e-rickshaw godown respectively during the communal violence in north east Delhi in February.

Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Yadav passed two separate orders on June 24 dismissing the bail applications of Suaib and Prince after the police said they cannot be enlarged on bail as the investigation was at a crucial stage and other co-accused were to be arrested.

Suaib was arrested in connection with the case of looting and burning of the godown of Aman e-rickshaw, an unit of Harsh Trading company.

Police alleged that suspended AAP Councillor Tahir Hussain and his associates were also involved in the case.

Prince was arrested in connection with a robbery of a mobile phone shop and burning of a salon at Bhajanpura area.

During the hearing held through video-conferencing, Additional Public Prosecutor Taufeeq Ahmed, appearing for the state, told the court that on February 25 around Chand Bagh Pulia, a mob of rioters had broken the shutter of the godown in Khajuri Khas area and looted parts of e-rickshaw and other related documents.

After the robbery the godown was set on fire allegedly by the men of Hussain, he alleged.

The case was registered on February 27 on the complaint Karan, who alleged that his godown was set on fire after looting allegedly by Hussain and others,

The counsel further said that on the basis of call detail records and identification of the police, Suaib was arrested as an accused in this matter.

He has also been identified by two public witnesses, the prosecutor said.

Advocate Asif, appearing for Suaib, claimed that he has been falsely implicated in the case.

According to the complaint, on February 25, between 4 pm to 5 pm, around 40-50 men of Hussain allegedly looted valuables and essential articles, remaining spare parts and related essential documents were stolen and the godown was set on fire.

During the hearing of the bail plea of Prince, the public prosecutor said the delay in registering an FIR in case of riots was not fatal to the case of prosecution because these riots were rampant, fearful and sudden and the victims in some cases were in a state of shock.

During the riots that started on February 24 at the Bhajanpura area, the rioters went berserk, vandalising shops and houses and vehicles were torched by them, the counsel said.

He further said that Prince was arrested in the matter on the basis of CCTV footage wherein he was clearly visible while stealing electronic items from the mobile shop of Mohd Mohsin.

Thereafter he along with unlawful assembly stole the electronic items from the shop of Mohd Shamim and was also found involved in the burning of the salon of Javed, the public prosecutor said.

Advocate Thakur Hukam Singh, appearing for Prince, told the court that the incident had occurred on February 25 whereas the FIR was registered on March 3.

The investigation in the matter was complete and the accused has been hauled up in the case merely on the basis of the disclosure statement made by co-accused, he said.

He further argued that nothing was recovered in the matter at Prince's instance.

The investigation in the matter is stated to be going on. There is overwhelming evidence about the presence of the applicant (Prince) at the spot at the time of riots, the court said.

The case was registered on March 3 after a complaint was received by Javed on February 29 regarding vandalizing and burning of his saloon.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiraled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.

PTI