A Delhi court on Tuesday sentenced nine persons to rigorous imprisonment of seven years in a matter pertaining to the 2020 north-east Delhi riots.
Observing that the act of the accused had instilled a sense of insecurity among people and jeopardised the communal harmony in society, Additional Sessions Judge (Karkardooma Court) Pulastya Pramachala sentenced Mohd. Shahnawaz, Mohd. Shoaib, Rashid, Azad, Shahrukh, Parvez, Ashraf Ali, Md. Faisal and Rashid for the offences such as rioting and being part of unlawful assembly.
“Communal riot is that menace which poses serious threat to sense of fraternity among the citizens of our nation. Communal riots are treated as one of the most violent forms of public disorder that afflicts society. It leads to not only loss of life and property, but also causes great damage to social fabric,” the court order reads.
It further added that during communal riots, innocent ordinary people got caught into the circumstances beyond their control, which led to the violation of human rights as well.
The accused who were booked for offences under various Sections were awarded seven years of rigorous imprisonment for Section 436 IPC (causing mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy house). The order also said that the convicts shall pay a fine of ₹20,000. In default of payment of fine, each convict shall undergo simple imprisonment for a period of one year and six months. An amount of ₹1.5 lakhs shall be disbursed to the complainant/victim as compensation from the fine recovered under this Section, it said.
In the FIR, filed in February 2020, a police constable — who identified the accused — had deposed that he saw a mob which started assembling at Chaman Park, Shiv Vihar, Tiraha Road, from midnight onwards. The FIR stated that all those in the mob belonging to Muslim community who formed an unlawful assembly whose objective was to cause maximum damage to the persons belonging to Hindu community as well as their properties.
The mob also aimed to create fear and insecurity in the minds of the members of Hindu community and this mob including aforesaid convicts committed vandalism, theft and mischief by fire in the House No. A-49A (the house of the victim), the FIR reads. It also alleged that the accused assembled in violation of prohibitory order passed by ld. DCP (N/E) under Section 144 Cr.P.C.
