Delhi Riots: Court Frames Shahrukh Pathan In 'Attempt To Murder' Case A Day After 1st Conviction In Riots Case

Pathan is lodged in Tihar jail after he was arrested on March 3, 2020. A photograph of him was circling on social media where he was pointing a gun at Delhi Police Head Constable Deepak Dahiya.

Image Source: PTI

New Delhi: Rejecting his plea seeking discharge, a Delhi court has made framed charges of rioting and attempt to murder against Shahrukh Pathan who had allegedly pointed a gun at a police officer during the 2020 Delhi riots reported PTI.

Pathan is lodged in Tihar jail after he was arrested on March 3, 2020. A photograph of him was circling on social media where he was pointing a gun at Delhi Police Head Constable Deepak Dahiya.

According to the PTI report, the additional sessions judge Amitabh Rawat while framing the charges said it was quite apparent that Pathan led a group of rioters, attempted on Dahiya's life, obstructed and used criminal force on a public servant on February 24, 2020.

The judge charged Pathan under sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon), 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of duty), and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC. Charges were also framed under sections 353 (assault), 307 (attempt to murder) read with section 149 (member of unlawful assembly guilty of a common offence) of the IPC and various sections of the Arms Act, to which he pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.

Pathan had sought discharge from sections 307 (attempt to murder) and 188 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant) of the IPC on grounds that he had no intention to kill the cop and was unaware that section 144 of the CrPC was in force, PTI reported.

Besides Pathan, the judge also framed charges against four more accused, Kaleem Ahmad, Ishtiyak Malik, Shamim, and Abdul Shehzad, in the case.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi in February 2020 after violence between Citizenship (Amendment) Act supporters and its protesters spiralled out of control, leaving at least 53 people dead and over 700 injured.

Meanwhile, a man was convicted on Monday for allegedly entering a woman's house and setting it on fire on February 25, 2020, reported Indian Express. Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhatt convicted Dinesh Yadav under sections of rioting and arson of the IPC, though a detailed order is awaited.

Yadav was among 100 -120 persons who trespassed into a woman’s house in Bhagirathi Vihar and set it ablaze, the report stated. His lawyer stated that out of over 100 persons the police only arrested him and no recovery has been made against him.