Jamia case: HC defers plea against trial court order discharging 11 accused

The Delhi High Court on Thursday adjourned hearing on police's plea against trial court's order discharging 11 accused including Sharjeel Imam in Jamia violence case.

Justice Swarana Kanta Sharma was informed by Delhi Police's junior counsel that the senior is not well and that he seeks adjournment.

The court recorded which respondents have filed the written statements in the matter and asked the rest to do so in four days.

The judge then listed the matter for hearing on March 23.

In view of Delhi Police challenging Saket court's order dated February 4, discharging 11 accused in a 2019 Jamia violence case, the High Court had earlier said that there will be no influence on the further investigation or trial of the remaining accused due to the trial court's order.

"Since further investigation will be carried out, observations made against the investigating agency will not affect either further investigation or trial of any accused," Justice Sharma had said while she also issued notice on the police's revision petition.

Justice Sharma while listing the matter to continue on Thursday, had granted liberty to police and respondents to file written submissions and relevant case laws in the matter.

Additional Sessions Judge of Saket Court Complex, Arul Verma had pulled up police while discharging them that the police were unable to apprehend the actual perpetrators behind the commission of the offence, but surely managed to rope in these 11 accused as 'scapegoats'.

Incidents of violence at Jamia Millia Islamia in December 2019 erupted after a clash between the police and people protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Verma said that the protesters were surely there in large numbers and it cannot be denied that some anti-social elements within the crowd created an environment of disruption.

However, the moot question remains as to whether the accused persons herein were even prima facie complicit in taking part in that mayhem, Verma asked.

ASJ Verma had framed charges of unlawful assembly and rioting against Mohd. Ilyas.

"Photographs of Mohd Ilyas have been clearly shown in a newspaper, hurling a burning tyre, an overt act has been ascribed to him, and he has been duly identified by police witnesses," he had noted.

--IANS

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