CAA: CCTV footage to ascertain role of accused

A court here on Saturday directed the Delhi police to examine and furnish CCTV footage in order to ascertain the role of 15 persons arrested on December 21, for rioting and burning of a car during the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act.

The court also asked the police to further verify the address of the accused, as the information furnished by them with regard to their place of residence was not found to be correct.

“I am of the considered view that examining and evaluating the CCTV footage of the cameras installed in the office of DCP (Central) as well as the adjoining areas, where the alleged incident took place, would be therefore essential,” Additional District Judge (vacation) Manish Yaduvanshi said, putting the bail application by the accused for consideration on January 7.

The court also noted that the incident on December 21 took place on the account of the congregation of a large number of people on a previous date at Jama Masjid, Delhi. The police said the protesters split into groups resulting in unlawful assembly and rioting, which injured as many as 17 policemen and led to damage of public property and the burning of a private car, outside the office of Deputy Commission of Police (Central) with a larger objective of setting fire to the premises.

“The ascertainment of the actual involvement of the accused persons in the main incident is required for proper appreciation of arguments of defence,” the court said.

The accused-applicant contended that they had gathered at the place for offering 'namaz' and had no role in the incident.

The court said since the Investigating Officer was relying merely upon the statement of injured policemen, it was necessary to examine the CCTV footage.

During the hearing, the prosecutor submitted that the address of eight accused could not be verified, as no such addresses were found to be existing. The defence counsel, for their part, submitted that the accused were ready to cooperate in rectifying and assisting the Investigating Officer in address verification.