
While nine of the 12 have near identical confessions, the remaining three, Shahnawaz, Salman and Sonu Saifi, have separate statements in which they talk of procuring a pistol and one admits to “firing at Hindus.”
According to Shahnawaz’s statement — part of the Delhi Police chargesheet in the murder of Dilbar Negi — as he saw the crowd coming from Mustafabad, “I and my friends, Sahil Parvez, Salman and their friends collected sticks, match-stick and bottles.”
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In his statement, Salman said that he had “told Sonu…to bring the pistol because he had purchased a pistol three-four months back from Shahnawaz.”
He admits that he “wore (a) helmet, and started indiscriminate firing on Hindus at the Shiv Vihar Tiraha, emptied the magazine, and returned the pistol to Sonu.”
In his statement, Sonu says: Salman, who was pelting stones with us, asked me to get a pistol, which I had purchased from Shahnawaz…I bought the pistol from my house and gave it to Salman. Salman wore the helmet, and began firing the bullets at Hindus.”
The Delhi Police chargesheet cites an analysis of Call Detail Records of the accused to show that they were present at the crime scene. And footage from CCTVs seized from the Rajdhani School, police said, locate six of the accused there.
For example, the chargesheet says, Azad, is seen “carrying a danda” at 4:09:05 pm; Faisal is “seen” at 3:44:50 pm; Shahrukh at 3:27:20 pm; Shoeb is “seen” at 3:37:04 pm; Rashid is “seen” at 3:37:55 pm; Tahir is “seen” at 3:41:59 pm; Salman is seen at 4:50:25 pm.
Police have also identified 24 more “suspects”, who still have to be questioned. Details of the further investigation will be placed on record in the supplementary chargesheet, the police has said.