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Delhi riots case: Police file over 17,000-page charge sheet, name 15 people

Hindustan Times, New Delhi | ByRicha Banka | Edited by Niyati Singh
Sep 16, 2020 06:47 PM IST

In February, Delhi was shaken up with communal riots, worst in at least three decade, with clashes between Hindu and Muslim groups in several parts of the national capital. Houses were burnt and broken into, while vehicles were set on fire.

The Delhi Police has named fifteen people as accused in charge sheet filed over the violence that took place in national capital in February this year. The accused have been named for orchestrating the riots that killed at least 53 people and injured hundreds.

Out of the 21 persons arrested so far, police charge-sheeted 15 accused based on scientific, documentary and testimonial evidence gathered during investigation. The remaining 6 persons are expected to be charge sheeted in due course after collecting sufficient evidence and completing statutory and procedural requirements, police said in a statement.

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The charge sheet filed by Delhi police special cell at Karkardooma Court is over 17,000 pages. Packed in steel boxes, 2,692 pages of the vast charge sheet specifies the charges against the accused whereas the rest pages include the annexure.

Among those named in the charge sheet are Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Ishrat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Safoora Zargar and Khalif Saifi.

In February, Delhi was shaken up with communal riots, worst in at least three decade, with clashes between Hindu and Muslim groups in several parts of the city. Houses were burnt and broken into, while vehicles were set on fire.

It all started as clashes between pro- and anti-Citizenship (Amendment) Act groups,but further escalated into communal violence with rioters from both communities, taking to streets armed with swords, stones and guns.

The fifteen people named in the charge sheet have been accused under sections of Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, IPC and Arms Act. For the investigation in the case, the police on Wednesday said they are relying on WhatsApp chats and call records. Twenty-five Whatsapp groups were created for each of the protest sites, police said.

“There was an impression that it was an anti- CAA protest but conspirators were being guided through the protest sites,” said police.

The charge sheet filed by police on Wednesday does not name Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam as accused in Delhi riots case.

Umar and Sharjeel were arrested a few days ago and their names will be in the supplementary charge sheet.

- Delhi Police registered 751 cases -

In connection with the riots that took place in Delhi, police received over 16,000 PCR calls and registered a total of 751 cases.

Of 751 cases, 59 cases were assigned to SIT constituted in the Crime Branch, 691 cases were investigated by the district police and one case, which was registered on March 6, 2020 to investigate the larger conspiracy behind these riots, was assigned to the Special Cell, police said in a statement.

In order to investigate specific offences committed during these riots, police has seized 12 pistols, 121 empty cartridges, 92 live cartridges, 61 glass bottles filled with noxious chemicals and an assortment of sharp-edged weapons in the matter.

- Took 195 days to complete first phase of investigation -

Further in the statement, police said that it took 195 days for Delhi police’s special cell to complete the first phase of investigation, during which, 747 witnesses were questioned.

Police has seized at least 75 electronic devices as part of the probe.

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