A Delhi Court on Wednesday framed charges under sections of murder, attempt to murder, rioting, unlawful assembly and other sections, including criminal conspiracy, against Olympian Sushil Kumar and 17 other accused in junior wrestler Sagar Dhankar murder case.
Charges have also been framed against two absconding persons. Additional Sessions Judge Shivaji Anand of the Rohini Court has ordered that charges be filed against the accused under sections 302, 307, 323, 109, 148, 149, and 120B.
The court directed to produce all the accused persons physically on 15th October 2022 for admission or denial of charges. The court has divided the whole incident into parts and directed them to frame charges accordingly.
The charges are framed against the accused persons under the section of causing hurt and robbery in relation to the incidents that happened in Chhatrasal stadium.
Second, in relation to the incidents at Shalimar Bagh, the charges have to be framed under sections of kidnapping, causing grievous hurt, criminal conspiracy including rioting and unlawful assembly against 10 accused, excluding Sushil Kumar.
Third, the court has also directed to frame charges in relation to the incident that happened at Model Town under sections of criminal conspiracy, rioting, and unlawful assembly against 15 accused persons, excluding Sushil Kumar. On 3rd October , 2022, the court reserved the order on the framing of charges in junior wrestler Sagar Dhankar’s murder case after hearing the arguments of the prosecution and accused persons. In this case, Olympian Sushil Kumar is one of the accused.
The prosecution had submitted that there was sufficient evidence to show the intention of the accused persons to kill Sagar Dhankar. On the other hand, it has been submitted by the accused persons that it is not a case of murder but of culpable homicide not amounting to murder.
Advocate R S Malik counsel for the accused Sushil Kumar had submitted that this is not a case of section 302 (murder) but of 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) IPC.
As per the post-mortem report of the deceased, the injuries inflicted were not sufficient to cause that, advocate Malik argued.
On the other hand, it has been submitted by the Delhi police that there is sufficient evidence to frame charges of murder and abduction against wrestler Sushil Kumar and other accused persons.
Additional public prosecutor (APP) Atul Shrivastav had submitted, “the manner in which Sagar and three others were abducted and brought to Chhatrasal Stadium. Thereafter, they were beaten up mercilessly by the accused, showing that they wanted to establish their supremacy.”
Sagar and Sonu were allegedly beaten up in Chhatrasal stadium on the night of 4 May 2021. Sagar had succumbed to injuries during treatment in the hospital, and Sonu Mahaal had been grievously injured in the incident.
