2020 Delhi riots: Court frames charges against 49 for arson

New Delhi, July 25

A Delhi court has framed charges of rioting, arson, unlawful assembly, disobeying orders of public servants and criminal trespass against 49 of the 51 accused in a case relating to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots that claimed 53 lives and left 700 others injured during the visit of the then US President Donald Trump.

“The evidence on the record prima facie shows that accused persons were part of unlawful assembly, which was present at the spot and which came into action with a common object to go on a rampage, damage the properties, and in pursuance to that common object, they set fire in the showroom,” Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala said.

The court, however, discharged all accused of the charge of criminal conspiracy, saying the element of prior meeting of the accused and others could not be inferred. “From these circumstances, the element of prior agreement among the accused persons and others cannot be inferred. Therefore, I do not find a case being made out for the existence of a criminal conspiracy,” the judge said.

The court discharged accused Mohammed Aftab of all charges for want of “concrete evidence” about his presence in the riotous mob while another one — Suleman Siddiqui — remained absconding. — TNS

Criminal Conspiracy charge dropped

• The court discharged all accused of the charge of criminal conspiracy
• The element of prior meeting of the accused and others couldn’t be inferred

One discharged, another absconding

The court discharged accused Mohammed Aftab of all charges for want of “concrete evidence” about his presence in the riotous mob while another one — Suleman Siddiqui — remained absconding