Delhi pogrom: Court frames attempt to murder charges against Ishrat Jahan, Khalid Saifi & others

Charges of “rioting” and “attempt to murder” have been brought against former Congress Councillor Ishrat Jahan, human rights activist Khalid Saifi and 11 others by Delhi Court  in  “Delhi riots case.”

In an order passed on Friday, Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat stated that prima facie, grounds were found to assume that the offences were committed by the accused persons. 

Charges have been framed against 13 accused persons in FIR 44 of 2020, registered at Jagat Pur police station. 

The accused persons have been framed under Section 147, 148, 186, 332, 353, 307 read with Section 149 of IPC.  

However, all 13 accused persons have been discharged for the offences under Section 34, 120B and 109 of Indian Penal Code, 1860, and Section 25 and 27 of the Arms Act.

The accused include Ishrat Jahan, Khalid Saifi, Vikram Pratap, Samir Ansari, Sabu Ansari, Iqbal Ahmed, Anzaar, Mohd. Ilyas, Mohd. Bilal Saifi, Salim Ahmed, Mohd. Yameen and Sharif Khan. 

Both Ishrat Jahan and Khalid Saifi were arrested under FIR 59 of 2020, the Delhi riots larger conspiracy UAPA case. 

While Jahan was granted bail in the case and is presently out of prison, Saifi remains in judicial custody and his bail application is pending in the Delhi High Court.

The prosecution alleges that a flag march was organised in the city’s Khureji area and the crowd, involving the accused persons, refused to abide by Delhi Police’s order to disburse. 

Strangely, the participation in a protest march has been used as a ground to justify the role of the accused in a “conspiracy” case.

Adding further to the claim, it was alleged that Ishrat Jahan, Khalid Saifi and other accused abeted the crowd not to leave the area and also to throw stones on the police.

The FIR puts thrust on the narrative that a firing took place towards the police, protesters manhandled the cops and a head constable was injured in the incident.