Delhi Riots: Court Takes Cognizance of Sedition Against 18 Accused
The court took notice of these additional offences on the basis of a sanction filed under Section 196 of the CrPC.
A sessions court in Delhi on Tuesday, 2 March, took cognisance of offences of sedition (Section 124A), promotion of enmity between groups (Section 153A of IPC), abetment (109), and criminal conspiracy (section 120-B) against all 18 booked under the contentious Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act in the northeast Delhi riots conspiracy case.
The court also directed that the copy of the chargesheet be made available to the accused in a pendrive, Live Law reported.
Student leaders and activists such as Pinjra Tod leaders Devangana Kalita and Natasha Narwal, Jamia Coordination Committee member Safoora Zargar, Gulshima Fathima, activist Umar Khalid, Asif Iqbal Tanha, Khalid Saifi, Tasleem Ahmed, JNU student Sharjeel Imam, as well as Ishrat Jahan, Meeran Haider, and Tahir Hussain are among the 18 accused in the conspiracy case.
The court had earlier taken cognisance of the offences under various sections of the UAPA and some sections of the IPC, including rioting (sections 147 and 148), unlawful assembly (149), disappearance of evidence (201), etc., PTI reported.
All accused have been alleged of criminal conspiracy to create communal riots through the anti-CAA protests, which were organised by them.
Activist Umar Khalid was also present during the hearing to complain that a section of the media was indulging in 'media trial' against him and the other accused, Live Law reported.
His complaint comes despite a court order, which asked certain media houses to refrain from carrying reports prejudicing the right to fair trial.
Further, the court also asked for a medical report from Tihar jail relating to accused Asif Iqba’s allegations of ill-treatment in jail. She had also brought the issue of leakage of crucial documents to the media to the court’s notice.
(With inputs from Live Law)
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