L-G grants sanction to prosecute six accused in North-East Delhi riots case

Delhi L-G V.K. Saxena granted sanction to prosecute six persons accused in a 2020 North-East Delhi communal riots case.

NEW DELHI — Delhi L-G V.K Saxena on Sunday granted sanction to prosecute six persons accused in a case of North-East Delhi communal riots of 2020 in which a man died due to gunshot injury.

The L-G office said that during the investigation it emerged that a “deep-rooted conspiracy” was hatched under the garb of democratically opposing the Citizenship Amendment Bill which led to the riots in the North-East district of Delhi.

The present case relates to the death of Shahid alias Allah Mehar (25), who was shot dead.

“L-G granted prosecution sanction in the case FIR No 84/2020 lodged on March 1, 2020, at police station Dayal Pur, against Mohd Firoz, Chand Mohd, Rais Khan, Md Junaid, Irshad and Akil Ahmed for the commission of offences punishable under section 153 A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code.

“Section 153A of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) penalises promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion,” the L-G office said.

Six arrested accused have accepted that they were involved in the riots. They had forcefully entered the building of Saptarishi Ispat and Alloys Pvt Ltd and looted the office of the firm with other rioters.

The victim sustained a gunshot injury at the rooftop of the company located at the service road near Chand Bagh, during the incident of communal riot which took place on February 24, 2020.

The investigation of the case was transferred to the Crime Branch which examined the witnesses and analysed the evidence collected, including the viral video on social media of a TV Channel.

Investigations into riot cases that occurred in the wake of protests against the Citizenship Amendment Bill revealed that some time prior to the riots, conspirators were circulating pamphlets and canvassing in Muslim-dominated areas. These pamphlets claimed that the Centre intended to revoke the citizenship of Muslims and detain them in camps.

Also read: Delhi court orders day-to-day hearing in 2020 North-East riots case