Delhi riots: Court takes cognizance of charge sheet against Khalid

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday took cognizance of a charge sheet filed against former JNU student Umar Khalid in connection to the riots in the Khajuri Khas

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday took cognizance of a charge sheet filed against former JNU student Umar Khalid in connection to the riots in the Khajuri Khas area in February last year while stating that there is sufficient material on record to show that he had conspired with suspended councillor Tahir Hussain and others to orchestrate the riots.

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Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Dinesh Kumar said that a statement b a witness was sufficient to show that during the relevant time, Khalid was allegedly in contact with Hussain, the alleged “main conspirator” who had funded the communal riots and instigated the mob from his house.

The court took note of the statement of a witness, Rahul Kasana, Hussain’s driver who had contended that he had seen his employer distributing money during the anti-CAA protests.

The witness had also told the police that on January 8, 2020, he had taken Hussain to Shaheen Bagh where the former councillor entering an office. Kasana said after sometime he had seen Khalid along with Khalid Saifi entering inside the same. After 1-1.5 hrs, Hussain had come out of the office, he added.

The police had filed the supplementary charge sheet on December 26, contending that Khalid was active participant in the criminal conspiracy to instigate communal riots in various parts of Delhi. It has alleged that the due to the instigation by the accused persons, a mob had gathered which had robbed persons and burnt down public and private property.

Earlier the police had filed a charge sheet against Saifi, Hussain and others charging them of unlawful assembly, rioting, arson, destruction of property and criminal conspiracy among other sections on which the court had taken cognizance on October 12. Khalid was arrested on October 1 in this case.

“The statement of this witness is sufficient to show that during the relevant time, accused Umar Khalid was in contact with accused Tahir Hussain against whom there is sufficient material on record to prima facie show that he was the main conspirator who had funded the communal riots and instigated the mob from his house to rob the persons and to burn down the properties.

“Thus, there is reasonable ground to prima facie show that accused Umar Khalid, accused Tahir Hussain and other accused persons had conspired together to commit offences as mentioned in the charge sheet. Hence, there is sufficient material on record to proceed against accused Umar Khalid,” the court said in its order.

The court also directed the investigating officer to supply a copy of the supplementary charge sheet to Khalid through the concerned jail superintendent.

Meanwhile, the judge also issued notice to the police on an application moved by Khalid alleging that a “vicious media campaign” was being conducted against him. The application claimed that sections of the media were getting access to the charge sheet even before the accused or his counsel got it.

Khalid had told the court on Monday that this is affecting his right to free and fair trial. The matter would be heard on January 7.

Communal riots had broken out in the city in February last year claiming 53 lives and leaving over 400 injured.