CHRONOLOGY-HC-DALITS

Following is the chronology of events in the case relating to the killings of two Dalits of a family at Mirchpur in Haryana in 2011 in which the Delhi High Court today held 33 out of 96 accused guilty:

*Apr 21, 2010: A 70-year-old man and his 18-year-old physically-challenged daughter burnt alive allegedly by a mob of over 100 people belonging to the Jat community at Mirchpur village of Hisar district.

Over 150 dalit families flee the village and take shelter at a Temple in Delhi after their houses were torched.

* Aug: Haryana police arrests the accused after the Supreme Court pulls it up.

 

* Dec 8: SC transfers the case from Hisar to Delhi to ensure fair trial on the plea of families of victims.

* Dec 23: Additional Sessions Judge Kamini Lau starts hearing and asks Haryana government to appoint special public prosecutor to conduct the trial.

* Jan 9, 2011: Court orders transfer of the accused to Tihar from a Hisar jail. A total of 98 accused shifted. Out of 103, five are juveniles and one is out on bail.

* Jan 15: Jat community, to which accused belong, protests the transfer of case, seeks fresh probe.

* Jan 20: CBI asked to take over the probe.

* Feb 1: Court orders deployment of CRPF at Mirchpur village to protect prosecution witnesses.

* Feb 10: Court asks chief secretaries of Delhi and Haryana to ensure transportation and stay of witnesses here.

* Mar 10: Trial court passes order on charge against 97 persons.

* Sept 24: Trial court convicts 15, acquits 82 persons.

* Oct 31: Three convicts get life term, five awarded five year jail and remaining seven released on probation.

* 2012: Convicts, victims and state move Delhi HC against their conviction and sentencing.

* Oct 6: One accused who was earlier absconding, acquitted of all charges by trial court.

* May 16, 2018: HC reserves verdict on the appeals.

* Aug 24: HC upholds conviction and sentence of 13 convicts, reverses acquittal of 20 and convicts them.