Dadri lynching: Chargesheet rules out conspiracy angle in murder of Akhlaq

Uttar Pradesh police, while filing a chargesheet in Dadri lynching case, ruled out conspiracy angle into the murder of Mohamamad Akhlaq who was beaten to death in Dadri's Bisara village on September 28 by a mob that accused him of eating beef.

The move can prove it difficult for the victim's counsel or prosecution to establish murder charges (302) against any specific person or persons as the chargesheet has not invoked conspiracy charges giving more precedence to charges of rioting.

The chargesheet names 15 of the total 19 accused identified by Akhlaq's daughter Shaista and his son Danish Saifi, who was also injured grievously in the attack allegedly led by Vishan Rana, the son of a local BJP leader Sanjay Rana.

Initially 10 persons were named in the first information report (FIR) which also listed another 5-6 unknown suspects. The accused were booked under section 323, 304, 506, 307, 427 and 458 of the Indian Penal Code. Section 302 (murder), section 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting armed with deadly weapons and 149 (unlawful assembly) were added to the FIR later leaving out an the important 120 A section which could have established criminal conspiracy.

On the night of the incident Vishal and his cousin Shivam Rana, had allegedly asked Hindu residents of Bisara to 'gather near the electric transformer, as remains of a slaughtered calf had been discovered'. A mob gathered outside Akhlaq's residence and attacked his family with iron rods and sticks. While Akhlaq succumbed to his injuries, his son Danish survived the attack after receiving medical treatment for more than two months.

In a statement to the police, a copy of which is with dna, Vishal was quoted as, "Some people informed us that (Mohamad) Akhlaq, a Muslim, had slaughtered a cow which is considered as mother in Hindu religion. Our feelings were provoked and after that we entered deceased Akhlaq's home and injured Danish by beating him. We beat up deceased Akhlaq and dragged him towards the transformer and left him there."

"I know the people who provoked us to take the step. I don't know them by their name but I can recognise their faces and can identify them if police takes us to them" the document reads further.

When asked why the police has ruled out criminal conspiracy a senior police officer said, "We have taken cognisance of the FIR and the case diary which does not indicate that there was a criminal conspiracy. There is no main accused in the case. In a riot and no one can be sure of the exact role of the accused". The statement means that Vishal and Shivam, who allegedly instigated the mob, are also not being considered as prime accused.

Furthermore while it was believed that there were two juveniles involved in the murder, it has come to fore that one of the juvenile has turned out to be above 18. This was after verifying his school documents.

Two more persons, Puneet and Bhim, were arrested on Wednesday while two others, identified by Danish continue to be absconding indicating a chance of a supplementary chargesheet in the case. A total of 19 people are accused in the case.