Police names 15 in Delhi riots case’s charge sheet

NEW DELHI: The Delhi Police Special Cell on Wednesday filed a voluminous charge sheet against 15 accused in the February riots case in a Karkardooma court.

Those named in the charge sheet under the stringent Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Indian Penal Code and the Arms Act include suspended Aam Aadmi Party leader Tahir Hussain, Pinjra Tod activists Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal, PFI leaders Parvez Ahmad and Mohammed Ilyas, activist Saifi Khalid, ex-councillor Ishrat Jahan, Jamia students Asif Iqbal, Meeran Haidar and Safoora Zargar, Shadab Ahmed and Tasleem Ahmad.

The charge sheet, however, does not name former JNU student Umar Khalid and Sharjeel Imam as accused in FIR 59/2020, which pertains to the “conspiracy” angle in the communal riots. The duo will be named in a supplementary charge sheet.

Violence broke out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after clashes between the supporters of the Citizen (Amendment) Act and those opposing it spiralled out of control, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.

On Sunday, Umar Khalid was arrested in the case. He is currently in police custody till September 24.