The details mentioned in the charge-sheet filed in the Jafrabad riot case and Chand Bagh riots case establishes beyond doubt that the anti-Hindu riots that convulsed the national capital in February this year were a part of a deep-rooted, well-planned conspiracy to throw Delhi into a state of anarchy.
The police charge-sheet in the two cases reveal how the arrested individuals were actively conspiring to flare up communal riots in Delhi and send the national capital into disarray. The police investigation into the matter to determine the role of these individuals in provoking violence in Delhi has brought to fore conclusive evidence that validate their earlier claim that the riots that rocked India’s capital were preorganised, extensively planned and a part of a wider conspiracy.
Jafrabad riots case
A case was registered by Delhi Police for murder and riots that took place on February 25, 2020, on 66 Futa Road, outside Crescent Public School, near Jafrabad Metro Station, Delhi. A man named Aman had died due to gunshot injury during the riot.
The investigation into the riots that took place in Jafrabad revealed the involvement of a certain “Pinjra Tod Group”, a far-left organisation, in inciting the riots in the region. The Delhi Police had recently arrested two persons in connection with the riots that ensued in Jafrabad. On May 23, the Special cell of Delhi police had arrested two women named Natasha Narwal and Devangna Kalita in the North-east Delhi riots case. Both the women are founding members of Pinjra Tod, which was established in 2015.
The Delhi Police had alleged that both the women-Natasha and Devangana were involved in hatching the conspiracy to incite riots in Jafrabad. Natasha was booked under the stringent Unlawful Activities Prevention Act (UAPA) for her role in inciting the anti-Hindu communal riots in Northeast Delhi in February. The FIR against them mentions that they are charged under Sections 147, 148, 149, 186, 353, 332, 333, 323, 283, 188, 427, 307, 302, 120B, 34 of the Indian Penal Code and under the Arms Act and Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. The two arrested women were also a part of a larger conspiracy and were found to be associated with “India Against Hate” group and Umar Khalid.
The damning WhatsApp messages retrieved from the phone of one of the accused, mentioned in the charge-sheet, proves it without a shadow of doubt their involvement in planning and implementing the conspiracy to stir riots in Delhi. “Ghar me garam khaulta hua pani or tel ka intezam kare (Keep boiling water and oil handy in your house)”, “Tezab ki bottle ghar me rakhe (Keep bottles of acid in your houses)”, Cars/bikes se petrol nikalkar rakhe (extract petrol from your car/bike and keep with you)”, Balcony/terrace par eit or patthar rakhe (store bricks or stones on your balcony or terrace)”, “Lohe ke darwazo me switch se current ka istemal kare (metal doors should be electrified using switches)” are some of the instructive messages that were propagated in Whatsapp groups as a part of the preparation for violence in Delhi.
Police arrested Pinjra Tod activists
The Special cell of Delhi police on May 23, 2020, arrested two women named Natasha and Devangna in the North-east Delhi riots case. A few days later, Natasha Narwal was booked under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act for inciting riots in north-east Delhi.
It was found that on February 22 evening Pinjra Tod members had mobilised local residents for protesting against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and directed them to gather at Jaffrabad metro station. “Anti-CAA protesters gathered at the metro station on February 22 night at 10 p.m. We thought they would gather at the old site at Seelampur service lane, which is around a kilometre away,” sources said.
The Delhi police had earlier mentioned that they believe some external force is provocating riots. They also mentioned that the ‘Pinjra tod’ group can be that external factor. The police also believe that the Pinjra Tod activists were not only involved in their capacity of expressing solidarity with the protesting women but were instrumental in the escalation of the protests.
Tahir Hussain case
An FIR was filed against Tahir Hussain, an Aam Aadmi Party Party councillor, for his role in the brutal murder of Intelligence Bureau (IB) employee Ankit Sharma who was horrifically dragged inside Hussain’s home in Chand Bagh by a bloodthirsty mob of rioters and later his abandoned body was recovered from a ditch in the neighbourhood. Hussain has emerged as the key figure in the Northeast Delhi riots which claimed that lives of 53 people and left innumerable injured. After his role in the Delhi riots was exposed, his links with anti-CAA protests also emerged later.
The charge-sheet mentions that fifteen people, including Tahir Hussain, played a pivotal role in the riots that took place outside Hussain’s house in Khajuri Khas, Delhi. His younger brother, Shah Alam was also arrested. Tahir’s licensed pistol, which was used by him during the riots, was impounded by the police during the investigation.
Tahir along with others have been booked under 109, 114, 147, 148, 149, 186, 353, 395, 427, 435, 436, 452, 454, 153A, 505, 120B, of the Indian Penal Code and 3/4 PDPP Act and Arms Act. The charge-sheet notes an interesting finding that the AAP councillor had released his pistol from PS Khajuri Khas on February 22, 2020, one day prior to the starting of the riots in Delhi. Here again, Hussain was found in contact with Umar Khalid and Khalid Saifi, who were a part of a larger group of persons involved in inciting riots in Delhi.
‘Recovery of crates containing glass bottles having some liquid filled in them and their necks stuffed with pieces of clothes which were used/to be used as Molotov cocktails, a large number of bricks and stone pieces and three catapults from the house of accused Tahir Hussain further point towards the conspiracy and the extent of preparation for causing riots in the area,” the FIR read.
Charge sheet filed against Tahir Hussain
Earlier today, the Delhi police crime branch had filed two charge-sheets in the Anti-Hindu Delhi riots case. One charge-sheet included the name of Ex-AAP councillor Tahir Hussain on the recommendations of SIT alleging that he funded the Chand-Bagh riots. The 1030 page charge-sheet says that Tahir Hussain not only funded the riots, but he was the mastermind behind it and he was controlling and directing the violence during the riots.
The charge-sheet was filed in the Karkardooma court by the police. Sources claim that this charge sheet has a detailed account of an amount of Rs 1 crore 30 lakh funded by Tahir Hussain for the riots in Chand Bagh and everything was under his control. The other charge-sheet was filed in regard of the Jafrabad riot case.
