NE Delhi Violence: Pathan May Escape, Court Proceedings To Happen Through Video Conferencing

A Delhi Court hearing the Northeast Delhi riots of 2020 cases, recently directed to produce accused Shahrukh Pathan through video conferencing after Delhi Police said that he may escape from custody or may be attacked by rival groups.

Shahrukh Pathan had allegedly fled Delhi after registering an FIR against him at police station Jafrabad in February 2020.
Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat of Karkardooma Court directed to produce Shahrukh Pathan through video conferencing after considering the grounds mentioned in the application moved by the Sub Inspector of the third battalion of Delhi armed police.

The court has directed to send the order copy to the concerned Tihar Jail Superintendent for compliance. The court passed this order on September 8, 2022.

The application requesting to produce the accused Shahrukh Pathan through video conferencing stated that he may execute again his plan to escape from custody while out of jail for production in Court.

Police also apprehended that he may be attacked by the unknown anti-group. Since the accused has been kept in the high-risk category, a large number of police personnel have to be deployed for his security. Despite this, there is a possible threat to his security.

The application said that in view of the safety and security of the accused as well as the police staff, it is prayed that he may be ordered to produce through video conferencing.

This case is connected to an FIR no. 49/2020 registered at Jafrabad. The case pertains to alleged unlawful assembly within the jurisdiction of Police Station Jafrabad, and the accused being a member of unlawful assembly along with four other associates armed with bottles, stones and pistols obstructed police officials or public servants, who were posted there to maintain law and order, in the discharge of their public functions.

The police alleged that the accused caused injuries to police personnel and gunshot injury sustained to one Rohit Shukla.

Earlier, in a separate case, the Court had framed charges against Shahrukh Pathan, who had allegedly opened fire at police personnel in February 2020 during the protest and violence against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

Pathan is named as an accused in a separate case related to pointing a gun at head constable Deepak Dahiya. He was arrested on March 3, 2020, and is currently lodged in the Tihar Jail.

According to police, Pathan, after the incident in February, initially kept roaming in the national capital before slipping away to Punjab and Uttar Pradesh’s Shamli, from where he was arrested by the Crime Branch later.

In February 2020, clashes broke out in the northeast area of Delhi between the groups regarding the Citizenship Amendment Act, which led to the deaths of at least 53 people. (ANI)