Kanjhawala Horror: Delhi Police Charges Accused With Murder

Kanjhawala Case: Delhi police on Tuesday invoked the murder section 302 of the IPC against the accused.

Men accused in Kanjhawala road accident case being taken to custody after being produced before the Rohini court.

Source : File Photo/PTI

New Delhi: Delhi police on Tuesday added the murder section 302 of the IPC against the accused in the Kanjhawala hit-and-run case, in which 20-year-old Anjali Singh was dragged under a car for more than 10 kilometers on January 1. "After the collection of evidence, Police have added Section 302 IPC, in place of section 304 IPC," said Delhi Police's Special CP Sagar Preet Hooda quoted by news ageny ANI.

Kanjhawala death case | After the collection of evidence, Police have added Section 302 IPC, in place of section 304 IPC: Sagar Preet Hooda, Special CP, Law & Order, Zone II, Delhi

— ANI (@ANI) January 17, 2023

He added that the physical, oral, forensic, and other scientific evidence gathered thus far informed the decision to include the murder section. According to police, the case is undergoing additional investigation.

Section 302 of the Indian Penal Code refers to "murder," whereas section 304 of the IPC applies to cases of "culpable homicide not amounting to murder."

Earlier in the day, Ashutosh Bhardwaj, an accused in the Kanjhawala hit-and-run case, received bail from the Rohini court in Delhi. While granting bail, the court stated that his role began after the crime was committed, reported news agency ANI. With a Rs 50,000 bail bond, Additional Sessions Judge Sushil Bagla Dagar granted Ashutosh Bhardwaj's bail application.

Delhi Police had argued that the case is serious and that they are currently in the process of invoking section 302 (murder) in this case when they opposed the bail plea. Advocates Shilpesh Chaudhary and Himanshu Yadav represented the accused. 

Ashutosh's bail application was denied by the magistrate court on January 12 due to the seriousness and delicate nature of the allegations against him and the initial investigation. Additionally, the case can only be tried by the court of sessions. Ashutosh Bhardwaj's bail plea was reserved on Monday by Additional Sessions Judge Sushil Bala Dagar.

Atul Srivastava, the Delhi Police's special public prosecutor (SPP), strongly opposed the bail request, claiming that it was a serious matter. We are attempting to invoke IPC section 302 (murder). He also said that the investigation is at a crucial point, that we are adding a murder section, and that important witnesses will be examined. 

If granted bail, he may impede the investigation. The accused also lied to the other accused and harbored them, according to Delhi police. In addition, despite being compelled by law, he did not notify the police.

Anjali Singh, 20, was killed in the early hours of January 1 after her scooter was hit by a car, which dragged her for more than 12 kilometres from Sultanpur to Kanjhawala.

The postmortem report revealed the woman died of horrific impact injuries, her head fractured, and skin peeled off. Her friend, Nidhi, who was riding pillion, sustained minor injuries.

The police had arrested Deepak Khanna, 26, Amit Khanna, 25, Krishan, 27, Mithun, 26, and Manoj Mittal in the case on January 2. Another accused, Ashutosh Bhardwaj, was arrested four days later.