As time passes, the wounds of people who lost their loved ones in the 2020 anti-Hindu riots are getting tougher to fill. Now, in a case related to the gruesome murder of 22-year-old Dilbar Negi, a bunch of accused have been granted bail.
Six persons granted bail in anti-Hindu riots’ case
Delhi High Court (HC) has granted bail to six persons accused in the Gokulpuri murder case. These six individuals are Mohd. Tahir, Shahrukh, Mohd. Faizal, Mohd. Shoaib, Rashid and Parvez. All six are accused of setting a sweet shop on fire where Dilbar Negi worked before his murder.
Dilbar Negi was a worker in the sweet shop and had been in Delhi only for six months before his murder. Negi’s dead body was found with chopped off hands and feet. A first information report (FIR) was filed against the accused at Gokulpuri police station.
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SIT had registered FIR under 7 sections
FIR was registered under Section 147 (Punishment for rioting), 148 (Rioting, armed with a deadly weapon), 149 (Unlawful assembly), 302 (Murder), 201 (Causing disappearance of evidence), 436 (Mischief by fire) and 427 (Mischief causing damage) of the Indian Penal Code.
Initially, the local police had taken charge of investigating the case. Later the case was transferred to the special investigation team (SIT) of the crime branch. Police had arrested a total of 12 people allegedly involved in the murder.
Witnesses of the case had elaborated on the incident. They had categorically stated that a riot had taken place in the locality. According to their statements, the rioters pelted stones, chanted anti-Hindu slogans, ransacked and torched many shops and houses. Later, they entered the building of Anil sweet shop and set it on fire. Before setting the building on fire, they killed Dilbar who was hiding there.
Prosecution led to a spirited opposition of Bail plea
Amit Mahajan, the advocate representing Delhi Police in the matter had put a spirited opposition to the bail plea. The accused had submitted that they were involved in rioting present only during the day, and not night time when Dilbar was killed.
Mahajan had opposed it by saying “As we apply the principle of sec. 149 IPC as laid down by the Supreme Court, it is not that each accused or the role played by each accused has to be shown at least at the time of arguing bail application. If we’re able to show that they are part of the riotous mob which is responsible for committing riots which led to the death of Dilbar Negi, atleast for the purpose of bail prima facie we need not go further,”
In the wake of the CAA ACT being passed in parliament, Islamists had led nationwide protests in the country. According to them, it was an anti-Muslim act. Later, the protests turned out to be fully-fledged anti-Hindu riots in Delhi. Islamists had killed many Hindus including Dilbar Negi and staff of the Intelligence Bureau.