Court orders charges against 25 in head constable’s death case

NEW DELHI: A court here has ordered framing of several charges, including murder, arson and dacoity, against 25 accused in a 2020 northeast Delhi rioting case pertaining to the assault of a police team that left head constable Ratan Lal dead. Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala also said the Constitution does not vest any right to a protester to use violence, assault, murder or damage any property. Therefore, the argument that the accused were exercising their constitutional rights, is totally misconceived, the court said.

The court was hearing the case against 27 people accused of being a part of a riotous mob that attacked and “brutally assaulted” a police team at the Chand Bagh protest site when officials tried to stop them from blocking the main Wazirabad road on February 24, 2020.

In its 115-page order passed on November 22, the court noted that Lal’s postmortem report showed a firearm wound and 21 other external injuries.

“This firearm wound as well as five other wounds were found sufficient to cause death in the ordinary course of nature. Thus, the death of HC Ratan Lal took place because of the assault and gunfire shot received in the incident,” the court said.

Lal, who was suffering from mild fever and was advised to rest by his colleagues, joined duty in view of the grave tension in the area under Dayalpur police station limits.

A court has ordered the framing of charges, including criminal conspiracy, against 11 organisers and speakers involved in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. The court found “prima facie” evidence linking Mohammed Salim Khan, Saleem Malik, Mohammed Jalaluddin, and others to premeditated violence during protests against the CAA/NRC. The protesters, armed with weapons, aimed to attack police and commit vandalism, looting, and arson, the court said.

Head constable Ratan Lal died from 24 injuries while shielding officers as a mob attacked them. The then DCP Amit Sharma, ACP Anuj Kumar, and 50 other policemen were injured.

The court noted that the violence was part of a preplanned conspiracy, with protesters intending to block roads and use weapons against police. The organisers used women and juveniles to start stone-pelting, it added.

Charges were also framed against 14 other accused for rioting, attempt to murder, and attacking police. These include Mohammed Sadiq, Nasir, Ibrahim, and others.