Court charges 4 for rioting, setting mosque on fire in 2020 Delhi riots

The FIR states that the four were part of a mob that set fire to the Allah Wali mosque situated in Shahid Bhagat Singh Colony.

Four men have been charged by the Delhi Court on Saturday for rioting, and setting a mosque ablaze during the 2020 north East Delhi riots.

The accused – Ankit Sourabh Sharma, Rahul Kumar and Sachin – were identified on the basis of CCTV cameras present on the riot site.

According to the FIR lodged at Karawal Nagar police station, the complainant Mohammed Imran had alleged that the four were part of a mob that set fire to the Allah Wali mosque situated in Shahid Bhagat Singh Colony. They also tore the Quran present there and placed a Hindu idol in front of the Masjid.

MS Education Academy

Based on eyewitness ALi Ahmed’s statements, the court observed that accused Rohit was “instigating other members of the mob” to set fire to the masjid as well as nearby Muslim households.

Other accused Sourabh set the masjid on fire while Ankit tore and damaged articles inside the holy place.

“CCTV footage was used for identification of accused persons and the case basically rests on the account of fact given by eyewitnesses i.e. police officials and public persons, who identified the accused persons and pointed out to them in the CCTV footage. When all the accused persons are alleged to be members of unlawful assembly, it becomes immaterial, if a particular accused is not alleged with any specific overt act regarding setting fire in the mosque,” the court observed.

The five accused have been charged under the sections:

  • 147(rioting)
  • 148 (guilty of rioting, being armed with a deadly weapon or with anything which, used as a weapon of offence, is likely to cause death)
  • 427 (Mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees)
  • 436(Mischief by fire or explosive substance)
  • 149(Offence committed by any member of an unlawful assembly in prosecution, every person who, at the time of the committing of that offence, is a member of the crime), 188(Disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) and 450(Commit offence punishable with imprisonment for life) of the IPC.

Rohit was additionally charged with Sections

  • 109 (If the act abetted is committed in consequence of the abetment)
  • 114 (Abettor present when offence is committed) of the IPC

Back to top button