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Indian Express
2 days ago
- Politics
- Indian Express
Northeast Delhi riots: After judge's transfer, where does the ‘larger conspiracy' case stand?
Arguments on charge in the Delhi riots 'larger conspiracy' case will have to begin afresh as the judge who had been hearing the case for the last 18 months has been transferred. Out of the 18 accused arrested in the case, 12 have been in jail for over four years. From October to May 2025, five accused — including former JNU student leader Umar Khalid, former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, Shifa Ur Rehman, and Safoora Zargar — had completed their arguments on charge. The prosecution also completed its arguments during day-to-day hearings. After the remaining persons finished their arguments, the trial of the case would've begun. Family members and lawyers of the accused called the delay a 'punishment'. Shortly after the riots broke out, which left 53 dead and 700 injured, the Delhi Police Special Cell started investigating the alleged conspiracy behind them. During its investigation, it booked the 18 accused under relevant provisions of the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and IPC. The case of the Special Cell was that the riots were the result of a months-long 'deep-rooted' conspiracy allegedly hatched after the Citizenship Amendment Bill got a nod from the Cabinet in December 2019. Between 2020 and 2023, police filed four supplementary chargesheets. With their final chargesheet in June 2023, they marked the completion of their probe into the case. Their case was primarily built on CCTV footage, WhatsApp chats, and statements of protected witnesses. In October 2023, Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Amitabh Rawat of Karkardooma Court had directed that arguments on the charge be conducted on a day-to-day basis. Two months later, ASJ Rawat was transferred and ASJ Sameer Bajpai replaced him. On September 4 last year, the Special Cell officially told ASJ Bajpai that they had completed their investigation. Following this, the judge ordered that arguments on charge would commence from September 5. On May 30 this year, ASJ Bajpai was transferred following a reshuffle of 135 judges across Delhi. 'With the chargesheet of several thousand pages, more than 700 witnesses, other issues and such transfers, we don't know how long it will take. This is very unfortunate. Our sons and daughters are languishing in jail,' said Umar's father, Syed Qasim Rasool Ilyas. 'The problem is that section 43(D) of the UAPA lists extremely stringent bail conditions. The judge has to first make up their mind whether a prima facie case is made out or not. For this, arguments on charge need to be complete. It becomes impossible to get bail otherwise,' said advocate Rajiv Mohan, who represented Husain in court. Along with Mohan, advocate Tara Narula also appeared for Husain. Asif Iqbal Tanha, one of the six accused out on bail, told The Indian Express, 'For the people who are in jail, the delay in trial is very problematic. But even those who are out on bail have various restrictions.' On June 2, ASJ Lalit Kumar, who replaced ASJ Bajpai, heard the case for the first time. The Delhi Police and the accused persons were directed by the judge to furnish their schedule regarding the time frame and manner in which they will address arguments. The court also stated that arguments on charge must be 'expedited'. On June 6, ASJ Kumar asked the prosecution and the defence how long they would take to conclude the arguments. 'I will take 25-27 hours to outline the entire conspiracy… we have submitted a 1,200-page compilation. For the assistance of the honorable Court, I will keep it very concise,' Special Public Prosecutor Amit Prasad had said. The 18 accused persons in this case are Devangana Kalita, Natasha Narwal, Ishrat Jahan, Faizan Khan, Safoora Zargar, Asif Iqbal Tanha (all six on bail); Tahir Husain, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Sharjeel Imam, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd Saleem Khan, and Athar Khan (all 12 in jail).
Time of India
3 days ago
- Time of India
Court Sentences Man to Life Imprisonment for Attempting to Murder Child in 2017
New Delhi: A Delhi court, while sentencing a man to life imprisonment for attempting to murder a 5-year-old child in 2017, observed that the conduct of the man did not deserve any leniency. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The court of Additional Sessions Judge Amit Sahrawat, on June 4, noted that the man inflicted several stone blows on the head of the child and also gave multiple blade cuts on different body parts from head to toe, leaving him at the spot in a bloodbath to die. "Inflicting numerous blade marks all over a seven-year-old child's body, trying to batter his head with a stone, and leaving the minor to die in a pool of blood showed the man's 'barbaric mentality,'" the court said. The ASJ was hearing the arguments on the quantum of sentence against Mohammed Moi alias Mohit, who was sentenced under IPC sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 364 (kidnapping to commit murder). Expressing anguish, the court wondered how the convict, a father of three children, attempted to murder the child in such a brutal manner. The act of giving multiple blade marks on the face, shoulder, hand, legs, etc., of the minor child shows the barbaric mentality of the convict, and it also shows the heinousness of the offence, the judge noted. Noting that aggravating factors against the man in the present case are the age of the victim child and the manner of committing the crime, the judge said that at the time of the incident in 2017, the victim child was aged about five to seven years. The convict gave several stone blows to the head of such a minor child and also gave several blade cuts to the body of the child, thereafter leaving the child in a bloodbath at the spot.
Time of India
4 days ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Delhi court sets new date to begin hearing arguments in Delhi riots conspiracy case
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Friday set July 2 as the new date to begin hearing arguments on charges in the Delhi riots case on the larger conspiracy. Police, through special public prosecutor Amit Prasad, told the court of additional sessions judge Lalit Kumar that it would take five hours daily for at least five days to conclude its arguments. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now The court is set to hear the arguments afresh after the transfer of ASJ Sameer Bajpai, who was hearing the case earlier last month. Prasad submitted that he would take four to five hours daily for at least five days to conclude his arguments. The court also accepted his suggestion to begin the arguments after the summer vacation so that continuity is not disturbed. The special public prosecutors and counsel for the accused said that since the chargesheet contains over 17,000 pages and it would take considerable time, the arguments should be after summer vacation for the sake of continuity. Advocate Adit S Pujari, appearing for Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, submitted that there is an order of Delhi High Court of Sept 2024 which has directed that the trial court will hear the arguments, but a final order is not to be passed till the disposal of the petition. Pujari also submitted that he would argue at the end, as his two petitions are pending before Delhi High Court. Advocate Rajat Kumar, appearing for Abdul Khalid Saifi, submitted that there is a consensus that other counsel will start arguments after submission by advocate Rajiv Mohan, counsel for Tahir Hussain. On June 2, the court sought the schedule of arguments of all prosecutors and advocates of the accused to expedite the arguments on charges. The court noted that the matter was scheduled for arguments on charges and the special public prosecutor informed the court about the prosecution and five accused persons completing their arguments on charge. Twenty people, including activists Sharjeel Imam, Khalid Saifi, and former Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) councillor Tahir Hussain, were booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act (UAPA) and several provisions of the Indian Penal Code for allegedly being the "masterminds" of the Feb 2020 communal riots that left 53 people dead and more than 700 injured.
India Gazette
5 days ago
- Politics
- India Gazette
Delhi riots larger conspiracy case: Court to hear arguments on charge afresh from July 2
New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): Delhi's Karkardooma Court on Friday fixed July 2 as the new date to begin hearing arguments on charges in the Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. Delhi police said that it will take 5 hours daily for at least 5 days to conclude its arguments. The court is set to hear the arguments afresh after the transfer of the judge who was hearing earlier. Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Lalit Kumar listed the matter for hearing on July 2 at Noon. The court fixed the date after hearing the submissions of Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Amit Prasad and counsel for the accused persons. SPP Amit Prasad submitted that he will take 4 to 5 hours daily for at least 5 days to conclude his arguments. The court also accepted his suggestion to begin the arguments after summer vacations so that the continuity is not disturbed, as earlier, the court was listing the matter before the vacation. SPP Amit Prasad also submitted that he will supply a convenient compilation for the assistance of the court. There are 1200 pages, and it will take considerable time the same. The bail applications are listed for hearing before the High Court on July 1. Advocate Adit S Pujari, counsel for Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, submitted that there is an order of the Delhi High Court of September 2024 which directed that the trial court will hear the arguments, final order is not to be passed till the disposal of the petition. Pujari also submitted that he will argue at the end, as his two petitions are pending before the High Court. Advocate Rajat Kumar, counsel for Abdul Khalid Saifi, submitted that there is a consensus that other counsel will start arguments after submission by advocate Rajiv Mohan, counsel for Tahir Hussain. 'On the last occasion, this way was opted as many legal points will be addressed, others will add to that only,' Rajat Kumar said. The court on June 2 directed the counsel for Delhi police and accused persons to file a timeline for arguments on the charge for an expeditious hearing in the North East Delhi riots larger conspiracy case. In this case, there are 18 accused persons, including Umar Khalid, Shakeel Imam, Tahir Husain, Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita and others who are facing the allegations of the larger Conspiracy of North East Delhi riots 2020. The court had said on Monday, 'This court consider it fit that a considerable time have already been lapsed and therefore, arguments on the point of charge has to be expedited.' It had further said that since the court has been transferred, the prosecution and the accused persons and their counsels seek some time to consult with each other regarding the time frame to address the arguments. 'Accordingly, all the Special Public Prosecutors (SPP) and Learned Counsel for the accused persons are directed to furnish their schedule regarding the time frame and the manner in which they will address the arguments, particularly time/hours to be taken by them,' ASJ Lalit Kumar directed on June 2. Earlier, the case was being heard by ASJ Amitabh Rawat since the filing of the first charge till 2023. Thereafter, ASJ Rawat was replaced by ASJ Bajpai. (ANI)
India Gazette
5 days ago
- India Gazette
Delhi court acquits army official accused of raping advocate
New Delhi [India], June 6 (ANI): Delhi's Dwarka Court recently acquitted an army colonel and his friend accused of raping an advocate noting the delay in FIR and contradications in the testimony of victim and absence of corroborative forensic or medical evidence to prove the allegations. While acquitting the accused persons, the Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Gagandeep Jindal noted the contradictions and inconsistencies in the complainant's testimony. An FIR was lodged at Dwarka 23 Police Station against army officer under Sections 376 (2) (n) (repeated rape) by administering sedative laced drink and criminal intimidation. Police booked both accused for the offence of gang rape under Section 376 D (gang rape) IPC. The court highlighted contradictions and inconsistencies in the complainant's testimony, no forensic or medical evidence to prove the allegations against the accused, and an unexplained delay in reporting the matter to police. 'Therefore, keeping in view, all the facts and circumstances of the case, the solitary, uncorroborated and unreliable testimony of the complainant cannot be taken as a gospel truth on its face value in absence of corroboration from any other independent cogent evidence,' the court observed in the judgement of May 30. The court held, 'Thus, this court is of the considered opinion that Prosecution has failed to prove its case against the accused beyond a reasonable doubt.' Consequently, both accused are acquitted of the offence alleged against them, the court ordered. As per the prosecution the first incident of rape took place on October 28, 2016 in Delhi and last incident occurred in August 2021 in Chandigarh. She reported the matter to the police in November 2021. The prosecution said that accused colonel raped the prosecutrix by threatening her to viral an obscene video of her. While acquitting the accused, the court said no such video was found on the mobile during the investigation. Any such video was not found in the forensic examination. 'The complainant is an advocate by profession. Therefore, it cannot be said that she was not aware of her legal rights. It is hard to believe that she continued to be a victim of circumstances for five years and simultaneously continued to provide legal advice to the accused,' the court said in the judgment. While acquitting the accused, the court said that framing the accused over a dispute over the fee cannot be ruled out. The victim alleged it the accused made a video of her during her rape in semi unconscious stage and thereafter he used to blackmail her on the basis of this video. (ANI)
