New Delhi: Delhi's Karkardooma Court on Thursday framed charges against nine accused in the Delhi violence case and has rejected the contention of the accused that there was a delay in recording the statements of the witnesses so it was not credible.
Hearing the matter, Additional Sessions Judge Virendra Bhatt said that the prosecution failed to record the statements of the witnesses on time because of the tense situation that occurred in the area after violence and subsequent corona infection, the delay in the action was not intentional.
The accused against whom the court has framed the charges are Mohammad Shahnawaz alias Shanu alias Ansari, Mohammad Shoaib alias Chutwa, Shahrukh, Rashid alias Raja, Azad, Ashraf Ali, Parvez, Mohammad Faisal and Rashid alias Monu. They have been charged under sections 147, 148, 149, 380, 427, 436 and 452 of the Indian Penal Code.
According to the FIR registered against the accused, the accused had participated in a protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act on February 25 near Brijpuri Main Road, Bhagirathi Vihar. During this, the accused not only damaged properties but also burnt a large number of houses, shops, schools and vehicles. They worked to disturb the social harmony, the prosecution said.
The counsel appearing for the accused said that the CCTV footage submitted by the prosecution is of February 24, 2020 while the incident was reported on February 25, 2020. There is no CCTV footage of February 25, he added.
The prosecution did not contest the fact presented by the accused counsellor however, it said that the case is not only based on the CCTV footage but there are other evidences including statements of witnesses.
After hearing both the sides, the court said, "it would be a failure of the judicial system if the statements of the witnesses are to be disbelieved because the statements were recorded a month after the incident. The accused cannot claim to be acquitted because the statements were recorded late."
Read: Delhi riots accused Ishrat Jahan to move fresh bail plea
