Delhi riots: Murder bid charge on man for pointing gun at cop

One-liner: A Delhi court has framed charges of rioting and attempt to murder against Shahrukh Pathan, who had allegedly pointed a gun at a police officer during the 2020 Delhi riots, while rejecting his plea seeking discharge.

Photo evidence: A photograph of Pathan pointing a gun at Delhi Police Head Constable Deepak Dahiya had surfaced on social media during the communal riots last year. He was arrested on March 3, 2020, and is now lodged in Tihar Jail.

• While framing the charges, additional sessions judge Amitabh Rawat said it was quite apparent that Pathan led a group of rioters, attempted on Dahiya's life, obstructed and used criminal force on a public servant on Feb 24, 2020
• Charges were framed under IPC sections 353 (assault), 307 (attempt to murder) read with section 149 (member of unlawful assembly guilty of a common offence) and various sections of Arms Act, to which he pleaded not guilty

Relief denied: Denying the relief, ASJ Rawat noted that intention to kill the cop was clearly made out from the statement given by Dahiya that Pathan aimed at his head and fired but he managed to escape.

• The judge also took exception to the argument by the counsel of the accused that after the first firing, Pathan had a second opportunity to kill Dahiya but did not as there was no intention
• Judge Rawat further said that discrepancies in the statement of Dahiya in the charge sheet and certain interviews will be looked into at the stage of the trial

Background: Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi in Feb 2020 after violence between Citizenship (Amendment) Act supporters and its protesters went out of control, leaving at least 53 dead and over 700 injured.

Source: PTI