Charges framed against 5 accused for shooting man & burning body

New Delhi: Taking note of the fact that the deceased's brother has given a "blow-by-blow account of the incident" and also identified one of the accused in the case, a Delhi court has framed charges against five men for allegedly killing a man and subsequently burning his body during last year's north-east Delhi riots.

In his order, Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Yadav framed charges against the five men, namely Lakhpat Rajora, Lalit, Yogesh and two men named Kuldeep under section 302 which pertains to murder, IPC sections under rioting, Arms Act, among others, for the murder of one Mohd Anwar, who was killed on February 25 last year.

As per the statement of his brother in the case, a riotous mob allegedly entered the house of the deceased after breaking open the lock and subsequently looted and vandalised it. Thereafter, they killed him with a gunshot and then set his body on fire.

In his order, ASJ Yadav noted that Anwar's brother saw him being killed by the rioters and his body being subsequently burnt. "...he has not only given a blow-by-blow account of the incident, but has also categorically identified accused Lakhpat Rajora," the court order read.

The court also noted that his brother Saleem Kassar's statement, along with those of other protected witnesses cannot be brushed aside at this stage merely because there was a delay in the initial complaint or that it didn't name the accused persons.

"...at this stage, this Court cannot loose sight of the fact that on account of prevailing communal tension in the area, it was very difficult for the investigating agency to trace the eye/public witnesses promptly, because the people were so shocked and traumatized that it took several days for them to muster courage to come out and report the matter to the police," the order further read.