Northeast Delhi riots: Court directs Police, accused to file timeline for expeditious hearing

New Delhi [India], June 3 (ANI): Delhi's Karkardooma Court has directed the counsel for Delhi police and the accused persons to file a timeline for arguments on the charge for an expeditious hearing in the Northeast Delhi riots larger conspiracy case.
There are 18 accused in the case, including Umar Khalid, Shakeel Imam, Tahir Husain, Natasha Narwal, Devangana Kalita, and others, who are facing allegations of a larger Conspiracy in the 2020 Northeast Delhi riots.
This direction has been passed by judge Lalit Kumar who replaced the earlier judge Sameer Bajpai who was hearing arguments on charge.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Lalit Kumar asked the Special Public Prosecutors for the Delhi police and counsel for the accused persons to file a timeline for expeditious hearing on charges.
Special public prosecutor (SPP) for Delhi Police submitted that the prosecution has already completed its arguments and even five accused persons have already completed their arguments on the point of charge.
After hearing the submissions on Monday, the court said, "This court consider it fit that a considerable time have already been lapsed and therefore, arguments on the point of charge has to be expedited."
It further said that since the court has been transferred, the prosecution, the accused persons, and their counsels seek to consult with each other regarding the time frame for addressing the arguments.
"Accordingly, all the Special Public Prosecutors (SPP) and Learned Counsel for the accused persons are directed to furnish their schedule regarding the time frame and the manner in which they will address the arguments, particularly time/hours to be taken by them," ASJ Lalit Kumar directed on June 2.
The court further said that Learned SPP and the counsels for the accused persons shall supply the schedule of arguments to each other.
Earlier, the case was being heard by ASJ Amitabh Rawat from the filing of the first charge until 2023. Thereafter, ASJ Rawat was replaced by ASJ Bajpai.
Advocate Rajiv Mohan, counsel for Tahir Husain, told ANI, "Though arguments on the charge were completed, the order of transfer is an administrative order. We will have to argue afresh."
SPP Amit Prasad also told ANI that the arguments on charge would be heard afresh by the court.
The matter is listed for further hearing on June 6 at 12 PM. (ANI)