Delhi Police hasn't given FIR copies of riots cases: Assembly minorities panel

AAP MLA Amantullah Khan, the chairman of the committee, instructed the Delhi government's home secretary to seek clarification from Delhi Police on the issue, according to an official statement.
Protesters during clashes in north-east Delhi. (File | Parveen Negi, EPS)
Protesters during clashes in north-east Delhi. (File | Parveen Negi, EPS)

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Assembly's Minorities Committee on Wednesday expressed displeasure over Delhi Police not providing it copies of FIRs related to riots in the northeast district and directed the home secretary to seek an explanation from the force.

The committee also discussed in detail the issue of compensation for the riot victims.

AAP MLA Amantullah Khan, the chairman of the committee, instructed the Delhi government's home secretary to seek clarification from Delhi Police on the issue, according to an official statement.

"Delhi Police not providing a copy of the FIRs related to the riots to the Committee of Legislative Assembly was the most important issue in the meeting," it said.

The committee also called three riot victims for deposition.

"Two women alleged that their homes were looted, while one witness claimed that his brother was killed in the riots. But no FIR was registered by the police in the three cases," the statement said.

Those cases, where compensation was allegedly less than the actual damage, were also discussed in the meeting and Khan directed officials to reconsider all such matters, it said.

The Delhi Police special cell on Wednesday reached Karkardooma Court and filed a chargesheet in the Delhi violence case stating that anti-Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) WhatsApp groups were used to fuel violence in North-East Delhi in February this year.

The chargesheet was filed under the sections of the UAPA/IPC/Arms Act in the Delhi violence case. The Delhi Police said that they are relying on digital evidence, WhatsApp chats, and call detail records (CDRs), and that it has also received sanction from the Centre and the state in this regard.

Delhi Police informed the Court that it will be filing a supplementary chargesheet as the investigation is underway. DCP Special Cell, Pramod Kushwaha represented himself before the court of Special Judge Amitabh Rawat.

"The evidence includes WhatsApp chats of February 24. That was the time when the violence took place. At that point, key conspirators were guiding their foot soldiers about violence in the area. The conspirators used a WhatsApp group to incite violence in Seelampur and Jaffarabad areas. A total of 25 WhatsApp groups were specially created for 25 protest sites. The impression was given that they were anti-CAA protest group, but through these groups, conspirators were guiding the people on the ground," Delhi police said.

"Some WhatsApp chats have been deleted. But whatever has been recovered has been submitted as the evidence. Police identified each group. Each group has got its own role in the conspiracy. Three levels of conspirators were there - Top-level, Middle-level conspirators and foot soldiers who were rioters," it added.

The police said that there are around 20,000 pages in the chargesheet from which the operative part is 2,692 pages and the total pages including the annexure are around 17,500. There are 747 witnesses, it stated.

The names of the 15 accused have been reported as -- Tahir Hussain, Md Parvez Ahmed, Md Iliyas, Saifi Khalid, Ishrat Jahan, Miran Haider, Safoora Zargar, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Shadab Ahmed, Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, Tasleem Ahmed, Saleem Malik, Md Saleem Khan, and Athar Khan.

"Today's chargesheet does not have the names of Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam. They will be in the supplementary chargesheet as their arrest was made just a few days before the filing of the chargesheet," Delhi Police said.

A total of 53 people died and 581 got injured in North-East Delhi violence in February this year.

(With ANI Inputs)

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