Daryaganj violence: Court asks police to examine CCTV footage to ascertain role of accused

NEW DELHI: A court here asked the Delhi Police on Saturday to examine CCTV footage to ascertain the alleged involvement of 15 accused, arrested in connection with a violent protest against the amended Citizenship Act in the city's Daryaganj area last week. The court said there was a probability of ascertaining the exact roles of the accused in the alleged offences by examining the CCTV footage obtained from the area.

"The IO (investigating officer) to examine the aspect of CCTV footage and produce CCTV grabs, if any, of the alleged incident in order to ascertain the actual involvement of the applicants in the offences alleged to have been committed by them," Additional District Judge Manish Yaduvanshi said.

The court adjourned the hearing on the bail applications of the accused to January 7, 2020.

The police opposed the bail pleas and told the court that 17 policemen sustained injuries during the violent protests and public property was destroyed.

The counsel for the accused had earlier claimed that the police had detained many people, but decided to arrest those who had no criminal antecedents.

A magisterial court had denied bail to the 15 accused on December 23, after which they approached the sessions court for the relief.

They were arrested after violence broke out in the area on December 20, when a group of demonstrators resorted to stone-pelting as the police tried to evict them forcibly. In the melee, a car was set ablaze and several vehicles were damaged.

All the accused are in judicial custody. One of those arrested had claimed to be a juvenile. However, the police had said he told them he was 23 years of age.