A Delhi court has summoned two police officers in connection with the death of Faizan, a 23-year-old man who was allegedly beaten and forced to sing the national anthem during the 2020 North-East Delhi riots. The officers, Head Constable Ravinder Kumar and Constable Pawan Yadav, have been directed to appear before the court following the filing of a chargesheet by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI). The incident was captured in a widely circulated video and Faizan died within 24 hours of his release from police custody.
According to Live Law, the Rouse Avenue Courts’ Additional Chief Judicial Magistrate Mayank Goel issued the summons after reviewing the CBI’s chargesheet, which was filed following a transfer of the investigation from the Delhi Police to the CBI. The court found sufficient material to take cognizance of offences under sections 323, 325, and 304(II) read with section 34 of the Indian Penal Code.
As reported by Hindustan Times, the CBI’s chargesheet was filed on 5 January 2026, and the court has ordered the officers to appear on 24 February 2026. The case was initially registered under sections including 302 (murder) and 147 (rioting) of the IPC, but the CBI ultimately charged the officers with culpable homicide not amounting to murder and voluntarily causing hurt.
The court’s order followed a petition by Faizan’s mother, Kismatun, who alleged that her son was illegally detained and denied timely medical care, leading to his death. The investigation was transferred to the CBI in July 2024 after the Delhi High Court found the original police probe inadequate as proceedings showed.
During the hearing, the judge noted, “There is sufficient material on record to take cognizance for commission of offence u/s 323, 325, 304(II) r/w Section 34 IPC and substantive offences thereof.” The court also directed the investigating officer to provide all necessary documents to the accused in compliance with legal requirements.
“Notice be also issued to the IO/HIO for filing sufficient copy of the charge-sheet and accompanying documents for compliance of Section 207 CrPC/230 BNSS on the NDOH,” the order stated.
Faizan, who worked as a butcher, was allegedly assaulted by police at Kardampuri and forced to sing the national anthem along with four other men. He was later taken to Jyoti Nagar police station and released in an injured condition, succumbing to his injuries at Lok Nayak Hospital the following day as case details confirmed.
The Delhi High Court, in its 2024 order transferring the case to the CBI, criticised the initial investigation for not adequately addressing the alleged police involvement. The court observed that some police personnel were found to have participated in mob violence rather than preventing it as judicial findings indicated.
Summons have now been issued to the accused officers, and the matter is listed for further proceedings on 27 February 2026. The court has also instructed the investigating officer to ensure all relevant documents are supplied to the accused for compliance with procedural law as per the latest directions.
Note: This article is produced using AI-assisted tools and is based on publicly available information. It has been reviewed by The Quint's editorial team before publishing.