Delhi Police file first charge sheet in communal riots case, name shooter Shahrukh

Shahrukh has been charged with attempt to murder and under Arms Act. The charge sheet, which also names two others, has been submitted before Karkardooma Court.

One of the viral images of Shahrukh (in red shirt) pointing his pistol during the Delhi riots in Jaffrabad | PTI

New Delhi: The Delhi Police Friday filed the first charge sheet in connection with the capital’s worst Hindu-Muslim riots that broke out in February, killing 53 people.

The 350-page charge sheet was filed against Shahrukh Pathan, the man in a red T-shirt who pointed a gun at a policeman in public during the riots in north-east Delhi, along with two others, and submitted before the Karkardooma Court in the afternoon. 

Shahrukh, who pointed the gun at Delhi Police head constable Deepak Dahiya during the riots that took place in the last week of February, has been charged under Section 307 (attempt to murder), Section 353 (for using criminal force to deter a public servant from performing his duty) and Section 186 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions) of the Indian Penal Code, along with sections 25 and 27 of the Arms Act, a police official said.

Besides, he has also been charged under sections 147 (punishment for rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapon), 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) and 216 (harbouring offender who has escaped from custody or whose apprehension has been ordered) of the IPC.

Shahrukh, resident of Arvind Nagar, was arrested on 3 March by Delhi Police’s Narcotics Cell, Crime.

During the interrogation, he had told the police that he went for the protest against the Citizenship Amendment Act (CAA) and did not intend to take out the pistol, but did that in the heat or spur of the moment, when the “other side” started pelting stones. 

Shahrukh’s neighbours, however, had told ThePrint that his sister was one of the protesters at the Jaffrabad sit-in demonstration against the CAA, and he went to the site to “save her” when he got to know about the violence that had broken out in the area.

The weapon of offence, a semi-automatic 7.65-bore pistol and 2 live rounds, were recovered from Shahrukh, the police had said. 

Other names in chargesheet

The charge sheet also named Kaleem Ahmed and Ishtiyak Malik, also residents of Arvind Nagar. 

Kaleem had given shelter to Shahrukh and was later arrested, said police. He has been charged for harbouring a criminal, while Ishtiyak has been charged under all the sections as Shahrukh except for attempt to murder.