Clubbed riots FIR: Police to file separate ch'sheets

New Delhi: After a Delhi court questioned the police over a wrongly-clubbed FIR based on multiple complaints of alleged rioting during the 2020 communal violence, it decided to segregate and file separate charge sheets in the cases

involved.

Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Yadav had asked the police why five incidents of alleged rioting, theft, and arson, that took place at three different blocks - C, D, and E of Delhi's Bhajanpura area on different dates, were clubbed in a single FIR and charge sheet.

In a status report submitted on September 10, the Bhajanpura SHO replied that complaints of rioting that took place in D and E blocks will be investigated separately and in all these three incidents separate chargesheets will be filed. The court agreed.

Besides, in the other two complaints related to the alleged rioting at C block, the court has agreed to consider the chargesheet already submitted in the case.

In this case, two accused — Neeraj and Manish — were arrested based on two complaints filed by the shopkeepers who alleged that their shops were allegedly looted and vandalized by the riotous mob during the communal violence.

While framing the charges, the sessions judge revoked the arson charges against the accused, noting that the shopkeepers did not allege the commission of offence and that there is no CCTV footage.

The court also noted that the complaints of different dates were clubbed together. While one complainant alleged that the alleged crime took place on February 24, while the others claimed that it happened on February 25.

He ordered for the case to be transferred to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate.

Significantly, the Delhi Police leadership has now asked the north-east district police to relook at all chargesheets filed in riots cases and investigate them again with fresh eyes so that shortcomings can be identified and supplementary chargesheets can be filed. The concerned district has sought help from other districts for this task as well, according to reports.

Meanwhile, in a separate case related to another clubbed FIR, the Delhi High Court on Monday extended the stay on Rs 25,000 cost imposed on the Delhi Police by a trial court that had called the investigation in the case "callous and farcical".

Justice Subramonium Prasad was informed by the Additional Solicitor General (ASG) S V Raju, representing Delhi Police, that they have not received the reply of complainant Mohammad Nasir in the matter.

As advocate Jatin Bhatt, appearing for Nasir, said he has filed the reply on Monday, the court said it was not on record and granted him a week's time to bring it on record.

The court listed the matter for further hearing on November 15 and said interim orders would continue till then.