Delhi riots: Man who harboured gun-toting riot accused convicted

A Delhi court has convicted a man after he pleaded guilty for harbouring Shahrukh Pathan, who had absconded after allegedly pointing a gun at a policeman during the northeast Delhi riots last year.

Pathan had allegedly aimed a pistol at Delhi Police Head Constable Deepak Dahiya with an "intention to kill" him on February 24, 2020, as per the police.

After the photographs of this incident went viral on social media, Pathan absconded and was nabbed from the bus stand of Shamli district in Uttar Pradesh on March 3, 2020. He is currently lodged in Tihar Jail.

Police claimed that Pathan after absconding took shelter at convict Kaleem Ahmed's house at Shamli which, they said, is corroborated by their mobile phone locations.

As per the police, Pathan stayed at Ahmed's house from the night of February 26-27 to March 3. Ahmed had also helped the riot accused purchase a new mobile phone, they said.

On December 7, Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Amitabh Rawat framed a charge under Section 216 IPC (harbouring an offender who has escaped from custody) against him.

"The charge was explained to him in the Hindi language in the presence of his counsel and the accused voluntarily pleaded guilty to the charge framed against him," the judge noted.

He added, "Since the accused has voluntarily pleaded guilty to the charges framed against him under Section 216 IPC, hence, he is held guilty and accordingly convicted for the offence under Section 216 IPC."

The judge will hear the arguments on the point of sentencing him on December 16. The maximum punishment under this Section entails a jail term of up to seven years and a fine.

Meanwhile, five other accused in the case, including Pathan, pleaded not guilty to the charges and claimed trial. Charges of rioting and attempt to murder have been framed against Pathan.

ASJ Rawat noted that "intention to kill" the cop was clearly made out from the statement given by Dahiya that Pathan aimed at his head and fired but he managed to escape.

Communal clashes had broken out in northeast Delhi in February 2020, after violence between the Citizenship (Amendment) Act supporters and its protesters spiraled out of control leaving at least 53 people dead and over 700 injured.