Court denies bail to 2 accused in murder case

A Delhi court on Thursday dismissed the bail plea of two accused in a murder case related to the 2020 north-east Delhi riots, noting that the allegations against the duo are serious in nature. Additional sessions judge Vinod Yadav junked the plea filed by Rashid and Shoaib who are accused in the murder case of waiter Dilbar Negi whose body was found charred at a local sweet shop.

While denying relief to them, the judge relied on the charge sheet, CCTV footage and videofootage played in the court by the prosecution and defense, respectively. “It is prima facie clear that the applicants were part of unlawful assembly which was responsible for putting on fire the godown in which deceased Dilbar Negi was there,” the court said.

It said both the accused were clearly visible in the CCTV footage carrying a rod in their hands in an agitated posture and instigating other members of the riotous mob. The court said that it is also apparent that the riotous mob armed carrying lethal weapons had engaged in vandalism and looting with a main objective to cause maximum damage to the lives and properties of persons belonging to other community.

“The nature of allegations against the applicants are very serious. I do not find it to be a fit case for grant of bail to both the applicants at this stage. Both the bail applications are accordingly dismissed,” the judge said.

According to the Delhi Police, on February 24, 2020 “rioters from one particular community” put Anil Sweet Shop in Shiv Vihar on fire due to which a young boy named Dilbar Negi, aged about 20-22 years, succumbed to the burn injuries. Opposing the bail plea of the accused, the prosecutor said “persons who were part of the riotous mob are yet to be identified and arrested and the conspiracy angle behind such a large-scale riot needs to be unearthed.” Advocate Salim

Malik, counsel of the two accused, told the court that they were not present at the scene of crime and are being falsely implicated in the case by the investigating agency. The police had registered an FIR in the case for murder, rioting, disappearance of evidence, mischief by explosive substance, criminal conspiracy among other sections under the Indian Penal Code. The court had earlier rejected bail plea of four co-accused in the case.