Charges Framed by Delhi Court Against Five Men for Setting Mosque on Fire During 2020 Riots in North-East Delhi
The Karkardooma Courts' Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala has framed charges against five men for allegedly setting fire to a mosque and damaging several articles, including the Quran, carpet, and CCTV cameras, during the 2020 North-East Delhi riots. Ankit, Sourabh Sharma, Rohit, Rahul Kumar, and Sachin are accused of rioting and unlawful assembly.
Based on a complaint filed by Mohd. Imran, a head constable, an FIR was registered at the Karawal Nagar police station, stating that the Allah wali Masjid located in Shahid Bhagat Singh Colony was set on fire during the 2020 Delhi riots. It was also reported that a sculpture was placed on a slab outside the door of the Masjid. Upon investigation, CCTV footage of the incident was collected and the accused were identified as members of the mob who vandalized the mosque, with the help of the staff and a head constable.
The court framed charges against the five men and observed that an eyewitness, Ali Ahmed, had stated that Rohit, one of the accused, was encouraging other members of the mob to set the mosque and other homes belonging to the Muslim community on fire. The statement also indicated that Saurabh, another accused, was seen setting the mosque on fire, while Ankit was spotted removing articles and damaging the property.
The court observed that the witness statement revealed that Rahul and Sachin, two of the accused, were seen taking articles from the mosque and destroying them on the street on February 25, 2020. The same witness, Ali Ahmad, had also reported seeing these accused persons vandalizing and setting fire to the mosque on February 24, 2020, at around 11 PM. The court further noted that the accused persons were identified by eyewitnesses as members of the mob.
The court relied on CCTV footage and eyewitness accounts from police officials and members of the public to identify the accused persons. The case was based on the fact that all the accused were members of an unlawful assembly, and their individual roles in setting fire to the mosque were immaterial. The judge noted that the absence of a Test Identification Parade (TIP) could not be used by the accused to seek discharge. Video identification of the accused persons was deemed admissible evidence, which would be evaluated during the trial based on the overall situation behind the identification.
The court charged the accused under sections 147, 148, 427, 435, 436, 149, 188, and 450 of the Indian Penal Code, 1860. Rohit was additionally charged under sections 109 and 114 of the IPC.
TAGS: CCTV footage eyewitness accounts unlawful assembly individual roles immaterial Test Identification Parade admissible evidence charged Indian Penal Code.
