A Delhi court has ordered framing of attempt to murder charges against two men accused of attacking Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a public hearing. The court said there is prima facie evidence of a planned conspiracy and serious criminal intent.
New Delhi: A Delhi court on Saturday ordered that charges for attempt to murder be framed against two accused persons in connection with the attack on Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta during a public programme earlier this year.
The court said that there is enough initial evidence to show that the accused acted with criminal intention and planning.
The case was heard by Additional Sessions Judge Ekta Gauba Mann. The accused in the case are Sakriya Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai and Tahsin Raza Rafiullah Shaikh, who have been arrested by Delhi Police for their alleged role in the attack.
Chief Minister Rekha Gupta was attacked on August 20 during a ‘Jan Sunwai’ programme held at her camp office in the Civil Lines area of Delhi. After the incident, her office described the attack as part of a
“well-planned conspiracy to kill her”.
According to the prosecution, Sakriya Rajeshbhai Khimjibhai, aged 41 and a resident of Rajkot in Gujarat, physically carried out the attack.
He was arrested and booked under attempt to murder and other serious charges. The second accused, Tahsin Raza Rafiullah Shaikh, has been accused of planning the attack along with Khimjibhai.
In her order, the judge clearly stated,
“I am of the considered view that prima facie all the ingredients for the offence punishable under BNS Sections 61(2) (criminal conspiracy), 221 (obstructing public servant in discharge of public functions), 132 (using criminal force on a public servant while they are executing their duty), 109(1) (attempt to murder) is made out against both the accused.”
The prosecution told the court that both the accused had met earlier in Gujarat’s Rajkot, where the conspiracy was allegedly planned. It was further stated that Tahsin transferred Rs 2,000 into Khimjibhai’s bank account to help him plan and execute the attack.
The court also took note of the communication between the accused before the incident. It was informed that the two were regularly talking on the phone, and Khimjibhai was even sending video clips of the public hearing to Tahsin.
The judge observed,
“This prima facie shows the criminal conspiracy between both the accused persons to attack upon the victim Rekha Gupta, Delhi chief minister, with an intention to murder the victim,”
and fixed December 26 as the date for formal framing of charges.
The court further noted the seriousness of the incident, especially considering that the victim was the sitting Chief Minister and an elected representative of the state. Despite heavy security arrangements, the accused managed to break through the security ring.
The judge remarked,
“This prima facie shows that the accused had come in a very calculated and well-prepared manner to attack the victim with an intention to kill the victim, and this fact is further supported by the conduct of the accused.”
The court also observed that Khimjibhai assaulted another person at the scene. The person, identified as Dhirender, tried to protect the Chief Minister during the attack but was injured.
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Referring to this, the judge said,
“Considering the fact that the accused even dealt a fist blow to the prosecution witness Dhirender, a public person who tried to safeguard the victim and caused simple injury to him. So, prima facie case under BNS Section 115(2) (Voluntarily causing hurt) is made out,”
the court noted.
Earlier, on October 18, Delhi Police filed a detailed chargesheet running into nearly 400 pages against both the accused. The chargesheet includes offences such as attempt to murder, criminal conspiracy, assaulting a public servant, and obstructing a public servant from performing official duties.
The case will now proceed with formal framing of charges on December 26.
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