The Delhi High Court on Tuesday granted bail to two of three people accused of the murder of an 85-year-old woman during the North East Delhi riots in 2020, Live Law reported.
Akbari Begum, 85, had died of asphyxiation from inhaling smoke after a mob set her house on fire.
Justice Subramonium Prasad granted bail to Arun Kumar and Ravi Kumar but refused relief to Vishal Singh. A detailed order of judgement was not available.
A first information report was lodged on February 27, 2020, at Bhajanpura police station based on a complaint by Mohd Saeed Salmani. According to Salmani, a huge crowd of people had gathered outside his home chanting communal slogans.
The mob broke the locks to enter the house and then set it on fire. Salmani said that his family and 10 employees ran upstairs to the roof, but his mother Begum, could not climb up due to her age. Salmani said the mob also looted Rs 8 lakh in cash along with gold and silver jewellery.
According to the chargesheet, the statement of police personnel, eyewitnesses and those who helped douse the flames helped identify members of mob, PTI reported.
In June 2020, the Delhi Police filed a chargesheet against six people: Arun Kumar, Varun Kumar, Vishal Singh, Ravi Kumar, Prakash Chand and Suraj Singh.
They were charged with rioting, unlawful assembly, murder, attempt to murder, dacoity with murder, mischief by fire, trespass, causing disappearance of evidence, disobedience of public servant’s order and common intention under the Indian Penal Code. The offences entail a maximum punishment of death penalty.
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