Delhi riots: Charge sheet in 625 FIRs yet to filed in lower court

New Delhi: At least 750 FIRs have been registered in the Delhi violence that erupted in the capital in February this year, but charge sheets in 625 FIRs are yet to be filed in the lower court. Of these 750 FIRs, 690 are still being investigated by the North East Police, while the Crime Branch of Delhi Police is probing the rest 60 FIRs.

Of the 690 FIRs filed in the Delhi violence, the police is still investigating the case, and the charge sheet could not be filed in as many as 600 FIRs in the lower court. The delay in investigation is stated to be because of the COVID-19 lockdown.

Of the 60 cases, the crime branch has filed charge sheets in the Karkardooma court in almost 50 percent cases, and the investigation in the remaining cases is still going on.

The lower court, however, is yet to take cognizance over 125 cases in which charge sheets have been filed. The court is hearing only the necessary cases due to the lockdown. 

A separate court has been set up to hear only the Delhi violence cases following the High Court order. This means that in the coming days, the Karkardooma court will commence trial in the Delhi violence cases.

On Monday, 3 more charge sheets were filed in a Delhi court in connection with cases related to Delhi violence, in which at least 53 people lost their lives. The charge sheets were filed in the court of Duty Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Kumar Gautam. 

The three cases related to the violence were registered at Gokul Puri police station under charges including murder, rioting, and criminal conspiracy. All nine persons accused in the three cases are currently under judicial custody, the police said.

Over 700 FIRs were lodged and the SIT probing the matter has arrested or detained more than 2,500 people, including the suspended AAP councillor Tahir Hussain, in connection with the cases pertaining to the Delhi violence.

Clashes broke out in northeast Delhi between the groups supporting and opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) in February this year. At least 53 people lost their lives in the violence and hundreds of others were injured.