Court frames charges against 3, slams prosecution on additional complaints

New Delhi: Ordering framing of charges against three accused in two 2020 rioting cases, a Delhi court has termed “fallacious” the police’s stand to prosecute a total of 19 additional complaints in both cases.

The court which framed various charges, including rioting, mischief by fire and house trespass, against the accused observed that the additional complaints were not completely investigated and the investigating officer (IO) simply relied upon “hearsay evidence” to club the complaints.

Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala was hearing two separate cases against Javed, Gulfam and Mustakeem who were accused of being a part of the riotous mob that was involved in incidents of vandalism, looting and arson on February 25, 2020, at different commercial establishments under Dayalpur police station limits.

Initially, 17 complaints and 22 complaints were clubbed with the main FIR in the first case and the second case respectively but while lodging the third supplementary charge sheets in both cases, police filed two applications seeking the return of the complaints, stating they would be investigated separately.

The court in August allowed both applications.

While filing the last supplementary charge sheets, the IO informed the court that the first case was to be prosecuted in respect of 11 separate complaints and the second case was to be prosecuted in respect of eight additional complaints.

A total of 19 complaints were thus again clubbed along with the

two main FIRs.