Delhi court orders day-to-day hearing in 2020 North-East riots case

The Investigating Officer (I.O) has been asked to be present on the next hearing date.

New Delhi: A Delhi Court on Saturday ordered day-to-day hearings on the issue of framing charges against the accused persons in the case alleging a larger conspiracy behind the 2020 North-East Delhi riots.

The proceedings in the case commenced in September 2020 with the filing of the first chargesheet, and over the span of more than two years, the Delhi police has filed a total of four chargesheets in the case.

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The chargesheets were submitted on September 16, 2020, followed by supplementary chargesheets on November 22, 2020, February 24, 2021, and March 02, 2022.

The court’s decision came after the stage of compliance under Section 207 Cr.P.C in respect of all the chargesheeted accused persons, which completed on Saturday, more than two years after the proceedings in the case began in September 2020 with the filing of the first chargesheet.

“…list the matter for arguments on the point of charge on 11.09.2023 onwards for day to day hearing. Ld. Special Public Prosecutor shall begin the arguments on 11.09.2023,” the court said.

On April 05, compliance proceedings under section 207 of CrPC were concluded for 17 accused individuals, excluding Devangana Kalita. Saturday’s order marks the conclusion of the same for all accused, bringing the case a step closer to its legal proceedings.

The accused persons in this case include Tahir Hussain, Umar Khalid, Khalid Saifi, Isharat Jahan, Meeran Haider, Gulfisha Fatima, Shifa-Ur-Rehman, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Mohd. Saleem Khan, Athar Khan, Safoora Zargar, Sharjeel Imam, Faizan Khan, and Natasha Narwal.

In addition to the order for day-to-day hearings, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat of Karkardooma Courts has also ordered all accused individuals to appear in person on the upcoming hearing dates.

The Investigating Officer (I.O) has been asked to be present on the next hearing date.

“Copy of this order be sent to the concerned Jail Superintendent for information and compliance,” the court said.