In the first conviction in a Northeast Delhi riots case, a Delhi court Monday convicted a man accused of trespassing into a woman’s home and setting it on fire on February 25, 2020.
Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhatt convicted Dinesh Yadav under sections of rioting and arson of the IPC. A detailed order is awaited.
Arguments on sentence will be heard on December 22. The convict is facing two other riot cases. This is the second judgement passed in a riots case — the first was passed in July in which the court acquitted a 27-year-old man accused of looting a shop, thinking it belonged to a Muslim man.
Yadav was among 100 -120 persons who trespassed into a woman’s house in Bhagirathi Vihar and set it ablaze.
His lawyers had argued that he was falsely implicated and drew attention to an eight-day delay in registration of the FIR by police.
During framing of charges, his lawyers had argued that out of a mob of over 100 people, police only arrested their client and no recovery has been made against him.
The prosecution had argued that he was an “active member of the riotous mob” and that he was identified by the complainant in her supplementary statement. Police also relied on two police witnesses and a public witness in this case.
Chargesheets have been filed in 361 out of 758 riots cases and charges have been framed in 67 cases.
This story first appeared on indianexpress.com