Court frames charges of rioting, attempt to murder against ex-Cong councillor Ishrat Jahan

Noting that the predecessor court on January 19 had ordered framing of charges against them, the judge said, Charges framed against all the accused persons to which they pleaded not guilty and claimed trial. Special Public Prosecutor R C S Bhadoria appeared for the Delhi Police in the matter.The case pertains to an alleged rioting incident during the communal riots on February 26, 2020, under the Jagat Puri police stations limits.

A Delhi court has formally framed charges, including that of attempt to murder, against former Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan, activist Khalid Saifi and 11 others in a 2020 northeast Delhi riots case, paving the way for a trial.

The case against them was being heard by Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai on Monday. Noting that the predecessor court on January 19 had ordered framing of charges against them, the judge said, ''Charges framed against all the accused persons to which they pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.'' Special Public Prosecutor R C S Bhadoria appeared for the Delhi Police in the matter.

The case pertains to an alleged rioting incident during the communal riots on February 26, 2020, under the Jagat Puri police station's limits. According to the charge sheet, a riotous mob, including the 13 accused, refused to follow the Delhi Police's direction to disperse, and threw stones and assaulted police officers while obstructing them in performing their duties, and also fired a gunshot at a head constable.

Underscoring that the role of the accused persons was ''prima facie'' established based on the contents of the charge sheet and statements of witnesses, the court had earlier ordered the framing of charges under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 149 (unlawful assembly) and 307 (attempt to murder). The accused were also liable to be tried for the penal offences of rioting, rioting, armed with a deadly weapon, obstructing a public servant, disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant, voluntarily causing hurt to a public servant and assault or criminal force to deter a public servant from discharge of his duty, the court had said.

The matter has been posted on July 29 for further proceedings. The other accused in the case are Vikram Pratap, Samir Ansari, Mohammed Salim, Sabu Ansari, Iqbal Ahmed, Anzaar, Mohammed Ilyas, Mohammed Bilal Saif, Salim Ahmed, Mohammed Yameen and Sharif Khan.

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