Delhi riots: City court holds accused guilty of spreading anti-Muslim hate

A Delhi court has sentenced a man to three years imprisonment on charges of promoting enmity and public mischief during the February 2020 riots.

Additional sessions judge Parveen Singh observed the convict did not deserve leniency as during the tense period, he "added fuel to the already simmering tensions" by spreading hate messages towards the Muslim community, and inducing people to commit crime against them.

The 8 July order said, "The fact, that during the tense period of February 2020, the convict had added fuel to the already simmering tensions by spreading messages which were intended to promote enmity and hatred for Muslim community and induced the members of the group to commit crime against Muslims, calls for no leniency and makes the offence very serious in nature."

The man, however, would be released as he had already undergone imprisonment of more than three years -- the maximum punishment for the offences.

The court was hearing the arguments on sentencing against Lokesh Kumar Solanki, convicted under IPC Sections 153 A (promoting enmity between different groups on grounds of religion, race, place of birth, residence, language, etc., and doing acts prejudicial to maintenance of harmony) and 505 (statements conducing to public mischief) on 5 June.

Solanki was sentenced to three years of concurrent simple imprisonment and a fine of Rs 25,000 for each offence.

"However, the fact remains that the convict has already undergone the imprisonment of more than three years, which is the maximum punishment which could be awarded for offences punishable under Sections 153-A and 505 of the IPC," the court held.

Solanki, the court said, was already incarcerated for over three years and had to be released subject to payment of the fine.