2020 Delhi riots: HC seeks police response on accused’s plea for discharge in head constable murder case
Head Constable Ratan Lal had died after sustaining grievous injuries to his head due to stone pelting during a communal riot on Delhi’s Wazirabad Road on February 20, 2020.
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On February 24, 2020, a communal riot had erupted on a service road near Chand Bagh on Wazirabad Road in Delhi. (Express Photo)The Delhi High Court on Monday sought response from the Delhi Police on a plea by an accused who sought that the charges against him in a head constable murder case during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots be dropped.
The accused, Mohammed Khalid, moved the Delhi High Court challenging a trial court order that framed charges against him in November 2024 for several offences under the Indian Penal Code, including murder and rioting, among others.
Justice Shalinder Kaur issued notice on Khalid’s plea and kept the matter next for consideration on October 14. The prosecution also reserved its right to address arguments on the maintainability of Khalid’s plea.
Khalid was arrested in June 2023 and was released on bail in September. A trial court had framed charges against him under sections 148 (rioting), 186, 188 (obstructing public servant), 302 (murder), 323, 325 (grievous hurt), 332, 333 (grievous hurt to public servant), 353 (assault or criminal force against public servant), 427 and 435 (mischief) of the IPC as well as for offences under the provisions the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
On February 24, 2020, a communal riot had erupted on a service road near Chand Bagh on Wazirabad Road in Delhi. An FIR was lodged at Dayalpur police station. The FIR alleged that “furious protestors” proceeded to the Wazirabad Main Road with weapons such as baseball sticks, iron rods and stones with a common intention to kill the police personnel on duty, and in rage and in furtherance of their common intention, all the protestors started pelting stones at the police officials with sticks, baseballs and iron rods.
Following the attack, Head Constable Ratan Lal sustained grievous injuries to his head due to heavy stone pelting and subsequently succumbed to his injuries.
More than 270 witnesses have been cited by the prosecution, and seven supplementary chargesheets have been filed in the case.
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