Saifi’s wife and daughter at a press conference in Delhi.
| Photo Credit: file photo
The Delhi High Court on Tuesday rejected a plea by ‘United Against Hate’ founder Khalid Saifi challenging the invocation of an attempt to murder charge in a case related to the February 2020 communal riots in parts of north-east Delhi.
Mr. Saifi argued that the charge under IPC Section 307 (attempt to murder) could not be framed as offences under the Arms Act had been dropped against him in the same case. Neither any weapon was recovered from his possession nor was any gunshot attributed to him, he also said.
The prosecution has accused Mr. Saifi and former Congress councillor Ishrat Jahan of instigating a mob in north-east Delhi’s Khureji Khas. According to the FIR, a crowd assembled in Masjidwali Gali in the Khureji Khas area on February 26, 2020. It refused to obey the police’s order to disperse, threw stones, and assaulted a head constable. The FIR stated that an unidentified person also fired a gunshot at the head constable.
In January, the trial court had ordered the framing of charges, including those related to attempt to murder, rioting and unlawful assembly, against Mr. Saifi, Ms. Jahan, and 11 others. The charges were formally framed in April. All 13 were, however, discharged of offences of criminal conspiracy, abetment and common intention and charges under the Arms Act.
Published – November 06, 2024 01:19 am IST