Ghaziabad six-year-old boy booked for rioting and arson

A six-year-old boy from Shalimar Garden has received court summons after he was named in a chargesheet for rioting and setting afire government property by police.

A six-year-old boy from Shalimar Garden has received court summons after he was named in a chargesheet for rioting and setting afire government property by police.

HT Image

In September 2008, the electricity department had lodged a complaint after a mob ransacked their office and damaged a transformer in Shalimar Garden. Police later submitted a chargesheet against five people, including Vishal Chabbra, a Class II student.

The boy’s father Naresh said: “We were confused, shocked and disturbed when Vishal’s name appeared in the summons. How can a minor destroy files, overturn an electricity transformer and cause damage to a government office.”

The said chargesheet was filed by sub-inspector OP Singh, the investigating officer (IO) last December. Interestingly, he mentioned the charges against them were proved and as the accused are influential their arrest could create a law-and-order problem.

The Chabbra family, who haven’t told Vishal, are preparing for the August 22 hearing.

When HT passed on copies of the FIR and chargesheet to SSP Akhil Kumar, he initiated a probe.

“It is a shoddy work on part of the IO. The SSP has powers to scrap the case under provision of 173/8 of CrPC (Criminal Procedure Code). I will ensure that justice is done,” he said.