The Delhi Police on Tuesday filed three chargesheets in connection with the North East Delhi violence, PTI reported. Communal clashes had broken out between supporters of the Citizenship Amendment Act and those opposing it on February 24, leaving at least 53 people dead and around 200 injured.

The Delhi Police Crime Branch filed the chargesheets before Metropolitan Magistrate Rakesh Kumar Rampuri. Two of these are related to the alleged murder of two people, identified as Mohammad
Furkan and Deepak, while the third is about the violence in Maujpur Chowk. The matter will be heard on June 23.

A deep-rooted conspiracy had triggered the communal violence, according to the three chargesheets. “It has been established during investigation that the riots were not impromptu but were conspired with intent to create communal strife, to malign the image of the country under the garb of democratically opposing the Citizenship Amendment Act,” it added.

The police further claimed conspirators caused disruption by the dual scheme of spreading misinformation about the amended citizenship law and their call for “chakka jam” on main arterial roads led to the violence, according to ANI. “A web of conspirators, instigators and rioters has been identified and several have been arrested,” they said.

Scroll.in had reported that Furkan was hit by a bullet in his thigh just a few hundred metres from home. Police said he was present at Kardampuri area where “rioters were pelting stones and committing arson”. Four people have been named in the chargesheet filed in his murder case.

The chargesheet said that Furkan and four others sustained bullet injuries. “Over 17 police officials also received injuries due to heavy stone-pelting by the mob,” the police added.

The second chargesheet in connection with Deepak’s murder was filed against four persons for allegedly rioting and lynching him to death near a government dispensary at Kardampuri. It said the “rioters” set vehicles on fire in two parking lots and Deepak, who worked as a battery rickshaw driver, was caught near the dispensary and lynched. He was later declared brought dead at GTB Hospital.

The third chargesheet was filed against five persons for allegedly resorting to violence when those supporting the amended citizenship law clashed with those opposing it at Maujpur locality. Shahrukh Pathan, who was seen pointing a gun at a police officer, is one of the main accused in this case. Police said several shots had been fired by him and three empty shells were recovered at the site of the incident.

“This led to injuries to several police personnels as well as public persons and created an atmosphere of fear among the public,” the police said.

The Delhi Police’s Crime Branch filed 20 chargesheets till now in cases related to the violence. It is investigating 59 cases related to murder and rioting.

The police have been accused of either inaction or complicity in some instances of violence, mostly in Muslim neighbourhoods. Scroll.in examined a few cases closely to find a troubling pattern: often victims of the violence were being prosecuted by the police. Many lawyers and activists say the lockdown to contain the coronavirus spread has reduced scrutiny of the police investigation and impaired access to justice for those arrested.

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