First conviction in Delhi Riots case: Man convicted for setting house of Muslim family on fire
New Delhi: A Delhi Court on Tuesday convicted one person of rioting and other charges in the 2020 Delhi Riots cases. This is the first conviction in the 2020 Delhi Riots cases.
The court observed that merely the fact he was not seen resorting to vandalism and looting did not mean he was a bystander. Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat also underlined that there was nothing on record to show that the accused person was not associated with unlawful assembly or to show that he did not share a common object.
Dinesh Yadav was convicted for offences under Sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with a deadly weapon), 457 (house trespass), 392 (robbery), 436 (mischief by fire or explosive substance with intent to destroy a house, etc.) read with Section 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of the offence committed in prosecution of common object) of the Indian Penal Code.
The prosecution alleged that a mob of around 200 rioters gathered in front of the house of the complainant. The mob then broke into the house and robbed the house before setting some of the material in the house of fire. The complainant and her children had to jump to the terrace of the adjacent house in order to save their lives.
Yadav denied all the charges, saying he was being framed. He also chose not to lead any evidence in his defence. His counsel contended that no active role had been attributed to his client by the witnesses, indicating that he was only a bystander and did not share an object of the alleged unlawful assembly.
"The fact that the accused also belongs to the Hindu community and was present in the mob armed with a wooden rod which mob resorted to violence against the Muslims, indicates that he shared the common object of the unlawful assembly.
“The mere fact that he was not seen entering complainant's house or vandalising or looting or putting it on fire, does not mean that he was a mere bystander. There is nothing on record to show that the accused had disassociated himself from the unlawful assembly and he did not share the common object of the assembly.” The Court said.
Yadav was stated to have been seen among the rioters - a fact sufficient to indicate “beyond any doubt that he too shared the common object of the assembly” having knowledge of the mob’s intention.
Arguments on the quantum of the sentence will be heard on December 12.
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Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case accused Mahesh Raut gets interim bail for law exams
Mumbai, Apr 3 (PTI): A special NIA court on Thursday granted interim bail to Elgar Parishad-Maoist link case accused Mahesh Raut from April 20 to May 16 to appear for his law degree exams.
Raut was arrested in 2018 for his alleged role in the case and is currently lodged in Taloja jail in neighbouring Navi Mumbai.
Special Judge Chakor Bhaviskar granted Raut bail to appear for the second semester Bachelor of Laws (LLB) exams in Mumbai.
The special National Investigation Agency court granted Raut temporary relief on executing a personal recognition bond of Rs 50,000 with a surety of the same amount.
The court also allowed him to appear for the semester one ATKT (allowed to keep terms) exam on April 4 and viva-voice and assignment presentation on April 9 under police escort.
It also directed Raut to furnish proof of his residential address for this period as well as an active mobile number to jail authorities and the probe agency.
The accused shall not misuse the liberty granted to him and shall immediately surrender to the jail authority on the same day when the examination is over, the court said.
Raut and 14 other activists were booked in connection with allegedly provocative speeches that were delivered at the Elgar Parishad conclave held in Pune on December 31, 2017. It triggered violence at Koregaon Bhima there the next day.
As per Pune police, the conclave was backed by Maoists.
The National Investigation Agency later took over the probe into the case.
