A hit-and-run case in which a 20-year-old woman was dragged to death while she was trapped under a car in the Kanjhawala area in Delhi on new year’s day was a “horrific incident” where the four accused had agreed to drag the victim, the prosecution told a court during the arguments on framing of charges.
Additional Sessions Judge Neeraj Gaur on Monday reserved the order on framing of charges against Amit Khanna, Krishan, Manoj Mittal and Mithun, who were sitting in the car. The Delhi Police has levelled charges under Indian Penal Code (IPC) sections 302 (murder) and 120B (criminal conspiracy) against the four accused.
The police had also filed a chargesheet against three others — Ashutosh Bhardwaj, Ankush and Deepak Khanna — under sections 201 (causing disappearance of evidence of offence or giving false information to screen offender), 212 (harbouring offender) and 182 (false information, with intent to cause public servant to use his lawful power to the injury of another person) of the IPC.
Noting that the arguments on framing of charges were complete, the court posted the matter for pronouncing its order on framing of charges against the seven accused on July 27.
Special Public Prosecutor Atul Shrivastava said the four accused (in the car) had “agreed upon to do such an act to drag the victim, who was stuck beneath the car, and dragged the vehicle for 13 km, which caused the victim’s death”.
“For such an act, they are liable to be tried under IPC sections 302 and 120B,” he added.
Shrivastava underlined that the “horrific incident” was probed from multiple perspectives.
J P Singh, the counsel for the four accused, however, sought discharge of his clients on various grounds.
“Because there is no evidence or witness that shows that there was any knowledge with the accused persons with regard to the fact that the deceased was under the driving vehicle except the disclosure statement of the accused persons, there is no CCTV footage that shows that the accused looked under the vehicle, the screenshot which the prosecution has placed on record does not have the details…,” he said. Police arrested Deepak Khanna (26), Amit Khanna (25), Krishan (27), Mithun (26) and Manoj Mittal in the case on January 2.
Co-accused Ashutosh Bhardwaj and Ankush were subsequently given bail by a metropolitan magistrate’s court, while the present court granted the relief to Deepak Khanna on May 13.
The Delhi Police filed an 800-page chargesheet against the seven accused on April 1 and the case was subsequently committed to a sessions court.
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