New Delhi: The Karkardooma Court, Delhi, has ordered police to frame charges against ten people in a Delhi 2020 riots case. The court found prima facie that they were creating fear and panic among Hindus and threatening them to leave the country. The court will formally hear the charges on December 21.
The court also found that they were members of an illegal assembly formed for the purpose.
The order of Additional Sessions Judge Virendra Bhat said, "According to records, prima facie reveals that the accused were members of an illegal assembly on 25.02.2020 which was built for the purpose of setting fire to the shops/houses of Hindus along with committing arson and loot."
Accordingly, the court ordered to frame charges against Mohammad Shahnawaz, Mohammad Shoaib, Shahrukh, Rashid, Azad, Ashraf Ali, Parvez, Mohammad Faisal, Rashid alias Monu and Mohd Tahir, under section 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with a deadly weapon), 149 (every member of an unlawful assembly guilty of an offence committed in the prosecution of a common object), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house), 452 (trespass in the house), 454 (secret house-trespass or house-breaking), 392 (robbery), and 427 (causing damage amounting to fifty rupees) of the Indian Penal Code.
The matter stems from an alleged incident that happened on February 25, 2020. A mob is said to have ransacked an auto repair shop and set it on fire.
The special prosecutor argued that all the witnesses- police witnesses, three public witnesses, and the complainant, had identified the accused people.
The counsel appearing for the accused people called it a false case.
The court said, "Prima facie, there is no ground to disbelieve the statement of these three witnesses."
From the material available on record, the court found that the property of the complainant was rioted, looted and set on fire by the accused people.
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