The Economic Times daily newspaper is available online now.

    Anti-CAA protests work of ‘Enemy Foreign Nations’, says Delhi Police

    Synopsis

    The police made this allegation in a response filed earlier this week by an inspector of the inter-state cell, Chanakyapuri, before a Karkardooma Court in relation to an FIR pertai ning murder of head constable Ratan Lal in Chand Bagh on February 24. The police have arrested 17 people, including Arif, in this case.

    Clashes
    Clashes between supporters and opponents of new citizenship law, in New Delhi on Feb 25
    NEW DELHI: In a startling claim, the Delhi Police have alleged the involvement of “enemy foreign nations” in orchestrating the anti-CAA protests which allegedly triggered the northeast Delhi riots that claimed more than 50 lives in February.

    “The protest seems the handiwork of enemy foreign nations to destabilise the democratic government and peace of the country, which is an apparent threat to the nation as well,” the Delhi Police told a local court while opposing the bail application of Mohammad Arif, an accused booked on charges of murder, rioting, unlawful assembly and other offences.

    However, the police department neither named any of the said “enemy foreign nations” (more than one) nor indicated the evidence it has in possession to support this allegation. According to Indian statutes, an “enemy” includes a country that is involved in commission of an act of aggression against India and its citizens.

    The police made this allegation in a response filed earlier this week by an inspector of the inter-state cell, Chanakyapuri, before a Karkardooma Court in relation to an FIR pertai ning murder of head constable Ratan Lal in Chand Bagh on February 24. The police have arrested 17 people, including Arif, in this case.

    ET has seen a copy of the police’s response. It mentions the protests against Citizenship Amendment Act, which carried on for one and a half month in Chand Bagh before the riots. The police alleged that protestors gathered on February 24 to protest against CAA turned violent and attacked the police, which left several cops injured and resulted in the death of head constable Ratan Lal.

    Alleging false implication, counsels for the accused have claimed no specific role of Arif has been divulged in the FIR or in reply of the investigating officer. The defence counsels alleged that the Delhi Police have acted in an arbitrary and religiously biased manner. They have further claimed that Arif was arrested without any evidence.

    Declining bail to Arif, a local Karkardooma court had on May 14 held, “Allegations are serious in nature and investigation is at initial stage.”. In its reply, the Delhi Police alleged Arif is “captured in CCTV camera hiding a danda in street number 3 of Chand Bagh. His mobile phone location establishes his presence before, during and after the incident at the scene of crime”.

    “Accused persons had killed head constable Ratan Lal and tried to kill the police party, including the DCP Shahdara, and ACP Gokulpuri received serious injuries on head,” it alleged. “Minute inspection of mobile phones recovered from the accused persons have been sent for the expert opinion. The result is still awaited, which may unearth the ground reality behind the incident,” the police reply said. “Most importantly, it is a case of murder of one public servant performing his official duties. Being a part of unlawful assembly” Arif is responsible for the act too, it said.

    The police have said that they are in the process of making “a number of other arrests” who damaged the private and public property.

    “It is worth mentioning here that the case was registered against an unlawful assembly,” the police said in the reply. “This section imposes vicarious liability on each person who is part of that mob. Therefore, all accused persons being active member of the unlawful assembly are equally and squarely liable” it said.


    (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
    (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 News, Budget 2024 Live Coverage, Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

    Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.

    Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

    ...more

    (You can now subscribe to our Economic Times WhatsApp channel)
    (Catch all the Business News, Breaking News, Budget 2024 News, Budget 2024 Live Coverage, Events and Latest News Updates on The Economic Times.)

    Download The Economic Times News App to get Daily Market Updates & Live Business News.

    Subscribe to The Economic Times Prime and read the ET ePaper online.

    ...more
    The Economic Times

    Stories you might be interested in