Court discharges 11 accused of Dilbar Negi's murder during Northeast Delhi riots
Oct 25, 2023
New Delhi [India], October 25 : Delhi's Karkardooma Court on Wednesday discharged 11 accused persons in a case related to the murder of Dilbar Negi in the Gokul Puri area during the North East Delhi Riots of 2020.
Only one accused Mohd Shahnawaz alias Shanu has been charged with murder, rioting and other offences.
This case pertains to rioting and setting on fire a godown of a sweet shop in the Gokul Puri area. In this godown, an employee namely Dilbar Negi was also burnt by the riotous mob. His half-burnt body was found on the second floor of the building.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Pulastya Pramachala discharged 11 accused persons namely Mohd. Faizal, Azad, Asraf Ali, Rashid alias Monu, Shahrukh, Mohd Shoaib alias Chhutwa, Parvez, Rashid alias Raja, Mohd. Tahir, Salman and Sonu Saifi from all offences.
However, the court has charged accused Mohd Shahnawaz is for offences punishable under section 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 153 A (Promoting enmity between communities), 302 (Murder), 436 (destruction of property by fire) 450 (offence of house trespassing) IPC read with 149 (Punishment for Unlawful Assembly) IPC as well as under section 188 (Violation of orders issued by a public servant) IPC.
The charges were framed accordingly against accused Mohd Shahnawaz alias Shanu, to which he pleaded not guilty and claimed trial.
It has been alleged that on Feb 26, 2020 at about 1:04 PM information was received in Police Station Gokalpuri that a mob was pelting stones near Kabir Building, Gali No.1, Bhagirathi Vihar. ASI Giri Raj went to the spot.
The rioters had also set the house of the owner of Anil Sweets, on fire, which was situated in Chaman Park. Police found that this house was in burnt condition.
During the inspection of this house on the 2nd floor, they found half burnt dead body of a person in a hall. The hands and legs of the dead body were missing.
On inquiry, it was found that it was the house/godown of Anil Pal and that it was the dead body of a person namely Dilbar, who used to work as a waiter for Anil Pal.
The dead body was sent for postmortem at GTB hospital. On Feb 28, 2020, this FIR was registered for offence under sections 147/148/149/302/201/436/427 IPC.
Dilbar Negi's body was identified by Devender, his brother. As per the statement given by witness Shyam Singh, on Feb 24, 2020, Dilbar had gone to the godown at about 2:00 PM to have his lunch.
He stated that since around 2:30 PM pelting of stones started near their shop (Anil Sweets), due to which the shop was closed and all the workers including the owner remained inside that sweet shop. After around one hour they left that place and this witness came to rescue the brother and nephew of Anil from their Pastry Shop.
Thereafter, this witness along with others went to the terrace of Dairy of Anil. From that place, they saw that a number of persons had gone up to the terrace of the godown of Anil and they were vandalizing that godown. Those persons were pelting stones towards this witness and other persons.
According to witnesses, rioters entered their godown along with petrol-filled bottles, stones etc. at about 06:40-06:45 PM. Shanu was one of them.
At about 7:30-08:00 PM the witness met another worker of his shop namely Mahesh. Mahesh informed him about having a telephone talk with Dilbar and that Dilbar had been stuck in the godown since afternoon.
At about 09:30 PM, the witness made a call to Dilbar on his phone, but his phone was switched off and this witness informed this fact to his employer Anil. The next day, they could not visit that godown due to riots and they did not have any information about Dilbar. They had given this information to the father of Dilbar.
