Delhi riots: Arguments on charges to begin today

New Delhi: A court here has allowed the prosecution to commence its arguments on framing of charges against the accused in the alleged larger conspiracy behind the 2020 northeast Delhi communal riots from September 5. Additional Sessions Judge Sameer Bajpai on Wednesday disposed of the applications filed by the accused Athar Khan, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Meeran Haider, Natasha Narwal and Devangana Kalita, seeking directions to the Delhi Police for disclosing whether the investigation in the case was complete. The pleas alleged that according to the final reports filed by the city police, the investigation was continuing and the court could not proceed with hearing the matter on framing of charges till the investigation was

complete. “The situation here is a bit peculiar, that the prosecution, even in the last supplementary chargesheet has

stated in general, that the investigation is still continuing and the result thereof shall be submitted before the court in due course,” the court said in its order. Referring to a February 2023 verdict of the Delhi High Court, the judge said that after filing the chargesheet and before hearing the arguments on the charges, the court could question the prosecution

whether the chargesheet was finally filed and the matter was fit for hearing the arguments on the charges.