Delhi Riots: Delhi Police files closure report in case against 7 accused

More than two years after Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against seven accused in a case of North East Delhi riots of 2020, the investigating agency filed a closure report in the matter on Tuesday after constant grilling from the court [State v. Mohd. Shakir etc]. .Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala discharged the accused persons and referred the matter back to the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate to deal with the closure report. The case was at the stage of framing of charges. Mohd. Shakir, Mobin, Mehmood Qureshi, Mohd. Arman, Nasir @ Arbaz, Imran and Nadeem were accused in the case.The Court said the CMM will have to see afresh the material presented by the prosecution and either accept the same or “direct further investigation or record finding that the materials are sufficient for taking cognizance and for summoning the accused persons.”While six accused in the case were already on bail, the court issued a release warrant for Nadeem after he furnished the requisite personal bond..The Court in the order noted that the chargesheet in the case was first filed with respect to four incidents in the FIR registered by New Usmanpur Police Station. The Police had argued that the incidents were investigated together on the grounds of proximity of time and place of crime.However, the Police later told the court that investigation revealed that the incidents were not in continuity but were separate incidents. It had already filed a closure report in respect of three other incidents before the CMM of North East District..Background.The main chargesheet in the case was filed in 2021 and a supplementary charge sheet came to be filed in February 2022. However, it was in July 2022 that the court first raised questions in the case. While the final report in the case was filed in respect of one injured person Atul Gupta, there was mention of injuries to other persons also in the FIR. The police had declared those incidents untraced. The Court on July 8 last year said the police should at least file separate final reports regarding those incidents. It was later informed that 'untrace reports' have been filed regarding six complaints. The Court then proceeded to consider the case on point of charge with regard to injuries caused to Gupta.."Very Unfortunate".However, the issue again arose in March this year when the Special Public Prosecutor filed a written synopsis mentioning the injuries caused to seven injured persons. The court raised questions regarding evidence connecting the accused to those incidents and asked the police to explain the loopholes.The Court later also asked about the law under which different incidents were investigated in the same FIR and how chargesheet for one incident and 'untrace report' for others in the same case were filed. The Police in response said it will file a supplementary chargesheet.Last Thursday, the Police sought two days to file the supplementary chargesheet to make its stand clear. While granting a final opportunity, the court called it “very unfortunate” that time and again the prosecution had failed to answer its queries in the case. On Tuesday, the Police chose to close the entire case.Special Public Prosecutor Madhukar Pandey appeared for the Delhi PoliceAdvocates SN Qureshi and Sarfraz Asif represented the accused persons. Proxy counsel Harish Kumar Sharma appeared for accused Nadeem[Read Order]