A local court in Delhi has framed charges against Rajdhani School owner Faisal Farooq and 18 other people for their alleged involvement in the riots that took place in North East area of Delhi in 2020.
Passing the order on March 17, Special Judge Pulatsya Pramachal of Karkardooma Court said that the eyewitnesses of DRP school showed that material and property inside the school was damaged and burnt by the mob.
The Special Judge observed that the mob members wanted to harm Hindus in every way, including killing them and damaging the DRP school.
He framed charges against the accused for their alleged involvement in arson, attempt to murder and criminal conspiracy during the Delhi riots 2020.
The Special Judge observed that allowing a number of persons from Muslim community to assemble in Rajdhani School belonging to Faisal and installation of catapult there so as to throw stone and petrol bomb on the nearby properties, followed by continuous instances of pelting of stones and petrol bomb from Rajdhani School to nearby properties of Hindu as well as DRP School, reflected the preparations made on the basis of meeting of mind among the accused to indulge in a particular act as alleged in this case.
Such instances and conduct of the accused showed that there was a criminal conspiracy behind the alleged incident that took place on February 24, 2020, he noted.
The Karkardooma Court further took note of the complaint filed on February 28, 2020 by one Yatender Sharma, apart from the statement of witnesses – Roop Singh, Geeta, Ashok, Manoj, Anil Kumar, Himanshu Kumar.
It said the complaint and the statements of the witnesses left no doubt that there was an assembly of more than five persons in the form of a mob and this mob was equipped with such weapons which could cause death.
This mob indulged in vandalism and arson in DRP School, as it belonged to a Hindu. Therefore, it is beyond doubt that an unlawful assembly was formed with a common object to attack upon the properties belonging to persons from Hindu community.
The Court further noted that the mob trespassed into DRP school with intention to commit such offences, which were punishable with life imprisonment.
This mob caused fear of instant death to Roop Singh and his family, so as to compel them to flee away and looted articles from that school, which makes out a case of dacoity as well, it added.
The Special Judge observed that the accused indulged in targeting properties of Hindus and their acts were apparently prejudicial to the harmony between the communities of Muslims and Hindus. They did disturb the public tranquillity through their actions, he added.
The court framed charges against Faisal Farooq, Shahrukh Malik, Shahnawaz alias Shanu, Rashid alias Monu, 5. Mohd. Faisal, Mohd. Sohaib alias Chhutwa, Shahrukh, Azad, Ashraf Ali, Parvez, Aarif, Sirajuddin, Faizan, Irshad, Anis Qureshi, Md. Parvez, Md. Illyas, Md. Furkan and Mohd. Ansar.
Charges were framed against the accused under Sections 120B, 147, 148, 149, 153, 153A, 188, 302, 307, 395, 427, 435, 436, 450, 505 IPC. The court further framed charges against Mohd. Ansar u Sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.