N-E Delhi violence: Court grants bail to 7 in rioting case

A court here on Thursday granted bail to seven people arrested in connection with the recent communal violence in north east Delhi over the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA).

Metropolitan Magistrate Vijayshree Rathore granted relief to Mohd Arman, Shakir, Dilshad, Zakib, Bhure Khan, Razi and Shabir on furnishing a bail bond of Rs 20,000 with one surety of like amount.

The court granted bail on the ground of principle of parity since two people were earlier enlarged on bail in the case.

During the hearing in the courtroom, the police opposed the bail pleas saying the investigation was at its initial stage and the allegations against them were serious in nature.

Advocate Abdul Gaffar, appearing for the accused, argued that the allegations against the seven arrested were false and they did not cause any harm or damage to public property as claimed by the police.

Nine people were arrested from north east Delhi's Dayalpur area and a case was registered against them for the offences under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 149 (unlawful assembly) of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and relevant sections of Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

The court had on February 28 sent them to judicial custody.

Communal clashes broke out in northeast Delhi on February 24 after violence between citizenship law supporters and protesters spiralled out of control leaving 44 people dead and around 200 injured.

Frenzied mobs torched houses, shops, vehicles, a petrol pump and pelted stones at residents and police personnel.