At Shiv Vihar, among the worst-hit areas in Delhi riots. (File)
The police have charged 12 with the brutal murder of 20-year-old waiter Dilbar Negi on February 26 in the Delhi riots. Negi’s body was found mutilated and charred in Anil Sweets in Shiv Vihar, the shop where he worked.
Besides murder, the accused have also been charged with criminal conspiracy, rioting, and promoting enmity between groups.
A scrutiny of their confession statements by The Indian Express reveals a pattern: Nine of the 12 accused have statements near identical — words and sentences are repeated ad verbatim.
Three of the remaining accused have distinct statements where they talk of how they got a pistol and one admits that he started “indiscriminate firing on Hindus.”
These statements, recorded under Section 161 CrPC and attached in the chargesheet, are not substantive evidence but can be used to corroborate or contradict evidence during the trial. The chargesheet has been filed in the court of Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Karkardooma.
All the accused are in judicial custody.
Matching excerpts for four: Seelampur
Consider the matching excerpts in the following statements of Azad (24), Rashid/Monu (20), Ashraf Ali (29) and Mohd Faizal (20) related to the Seelampur riots:
Azad: “In the last few days, there were protests against CAA and NRC; my friends told me those who don’t have evidence (to prove citizenship) will be evicted from the country. On the basis of this, on 24 February, in Seelampur, riots had begun; and slowly it spread across Jamnapar. At around 2-3 pm, many people started gathering at Shiv Vihar Tiraha and started pelting stones at Hindu houses. Hindus also started pelting stones at us; this went on for quite a long time.”
“….At Mustafabad, many people had gathered and stated that Muslims will be evicted from the country and today we have to show them the strength of Muslims. Along with the entire crowd, I also got carried away by what the crowd was saying…The crowd gathered at Shiv Vihar, where Hindu pelted stones at us, we threw stones at them. From our side, the crowd was sloganeering: kill them, we will not leave the Kaafirs today. I got carried away and started pelting stones. I continued to pelt stones for a long time.”
“…After this, the crowd started climbing onto the godown of Anil Sweet shop and Rajdhani School and indulged in stone pelting. I returned to my house in the night and stayed there. I committed a mistake, please forgive me.”
Monu: “In the last few days, there were protests against CAA and NRC; my friends told me those who don’t have evidence (to prove citizenship) will be evicted from the country. On the basis of this, on 24 February, in Seelampur, riots had begun; and slowly it spread across Jamnapar. At around 2-3 pm, many people started gathering at Shiv Vihar Tiraha and started pelting stones at Hindu houses. Hindus also started pelting stones at us; this went on for quite a long time.”
“….At Mustafabad, many people had gathered and stated that Muslims will be evicted from the country and today we have to show them the strength of Muslims. Along with the entire crowd, I also got carried away by what the crowd was saying…The crowd gathered at Shiv Vihar, where Hindu pelted stones at us, we threw stones at them. From our side, the crowd was sloganeering: kill them, we will not leave the Kaafirs today. I got carried away and started pelting stones. I continued to pelt stones for a long time.”
“…After this, the crowd started climbing onto the godown of Anil Sweet shop and Rajdhani School and indulged in stone pelting. I returned home after 7-8 hours and stayed there. I committed a mistake, please forgive me.”
All these sentences are repeated, ad verbatim, in the confession statements of Ashraf Ali and Mohd Faisal.
Matching excerpts for two: Jafrabad
Similar is the pattern in the confession statements of Mohammed Shoeb (22) and Shahrukh (24) related to Jafrabad riots.
Shoeb: “There were protests against CAA and NRC; my friends told me those who don’t have evidence (to prove citizenship) will be evicted from the country. On the basis of this, on 24 February, in Jafrabad, riots had begun; and slowly it spread across Jamnapar,”
“…At around 3 pm, many people started gathering at Shiv Vihar Tiraha and started pelting stones at Hindu houses.”
“…At Mustafabad, many people gathered and started saying Muslims will be evicted from the country, and today we have to show them the strength of Muslims. I also started sloganeering and others who were with me also started sloganeering against the Hindus. After this, the entire crowd, started sloganeering, to set fire, throw out the kaafirs and Naare Takbir, Allah Hu Akbar; and started throwing marbles and stones using a slingshot at Hindu houses.”
Shahrukh: “There were protests against CAA and NRC; my friends told me those who don’t have evidence (to prove citizenship) will be evicted from the country. On the basis of this, on 24 February, in Jafrabad, riots had begun; and slowly it spread across Jamnapar,”
“…At around 3 pm, many people started gathering at Shiv Vihar Tiraha and started pelting stones at Hindu houses.”
“…At Mustafabad, many people gathered and started saying Muslims will be evicted from the country, and today we have to show them the strength of Muslims. I also started sloganeering and others who were with me also started sloganeering against the Hindus. After this, the entire crowd, started sloganeering, to set fire, throw out the kaafirs and Naare Takbir, Allah Hu Akbar; and started throwing marbles and stones using a slingshot at Hindu houses.”
Matching excerpts for three:
The statements of Tahir (38), Parvez (34) and Rashid (22), constitute a similar matching set, identical to the statements above with a minor addition.
Tahir: “In the last few days, there were protests against CAA and NRC; my friends and experts told me that those who don’t have evidence (to prove citizenship) will be evicted from the country. On the basis of this, on 24 February, in Jafrabad riots had begun; and slowly it spread across Jamnapar…”
“…At around 3 pm, many people started gathering at Shiv Vihar Tiraha and started pelting stones at Hindu houses.”
“…At Mustafabad, many people had gathered and started telling that Muslims will be evicted from the country, and today we have to show them the strength of Muslims. After this, the entire crowd, started sloganeering, to set fire, throw out the kaafirs and Naare Takbir, Allah Hu Akbar; and started throwing marbles and stones using a slingshot at Hindu houses.”
These paragraphs from Tahir’s statement are repeated ad verbatim in the confessional statements of both Parvez and Rashid.
The statements differ in the weapons used. Azad and Ashraf Ali said they had a “wooden balla”; Monu said he had an “iron rod;” Faizal claimed he had a “stick.” Shoeb, Shahrukh, Tahir, Parvez, and Rashid claimed that they had “stored” lathis at their homes.