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A court here on Monday framed charges against 49 accused in a 2020 north-east Delhi riots case, setting the stage for their trial. The accused have been charged under IPC sections pertaining to various offences, including rioting and arson.
However, the court said the charge of criminal conspiracy did not apply to any of the suspects as the element of a prior agreement between them could not be inferred. The prosecution claimed that the accused were part of a mob that trespassed, vandalised, and torched a car showroom on February 24, 2020.
“The evidence on record prima facie shows that the accused persons were part of an unlawful assembly with a common object to go on a rampage and damage the properties. In pursuance of that common object, they set fire to the showroom,” the court said.
The judge noted that the accused were addressed by various speakers during protests against CAA and NRC, after which they became violent and engaged in rioting and arson. The court also discharged one of the suspects in the case.
