First Sentencing In Delhi Riots Case: Man Gets 5 Years Jail For Setting House On Fire

Delhi Riots: Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi in February 2020 amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, leaving at least 53 people dead.

A policeman patrols near burnt-out vehicles following clashes in New Delhi (Getty Images)

New Delhi: In the first sentencing in the February 2020 Delhi riots case, a special court on Thursday sentenced Dinesh Yadav to five years imprisonment for setting the hosue of a 73-year-old woman on fire.

Last month, Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat had convicted Yadav for being part of a mob that indulged in rioting and arson, PTI reported.

Yadav was held guilty under sections 143 (member of an unlawful assembly), 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon), 457 (house trespass), 392 (robbery), 436 (arson) of IPC read with section 149 (member of unlawful assembly guilty of a common offence) of IPC.

The court has also asked Yadav to pay a fine of Rs 12,000, PTI quoted advocate Shikha Garg, who had represented him during the trial, as saying.

Dinesh Yadav becomes the first person to be sentenced in connection with the communal clashes that had broken out in northeast Delhi in February 2020 amid protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act. The riots left at least 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

According to the prosecution, Yadav was part of a mob that vandalised and set ablaze the house of a 73-year-old woman named Manori on February 25.

Manori had alleged that a mob of around 150-200 rioters attacked her house and looted all items.

Dinesh Yadav, 25, was arrested on June 8, 2020. He was convicted on December 6. During the trial Yadav had pleaded not guilty and claimed innocence.

Meanwhile, on Wednesday, in another case related to the Delhi riots, the High Court granted bail to six people accused of vandalising and setting fire to a shop in the Gokulpuri area.