HATHRAS: Charges were framed against all 11 accused in the July 2024 Hathras stampede during a religious gathering after they were produced in court on Wednesday.
With this, the court has moved the case to the evidence stage and the trial proceedings are set to begin.
The next hearing is scheduled for August 18, the defence lawyer said.
The charges were framed based on the SIT charge sheet submitted earlier in the district court.
The stampede, which took place during a satsang of self-styled godman Surajpal alias Narayan Sakar Hari alias Bhole Baba, claimed 121 lives, on July 2, 2024, in the Sikandrarao area.
Police arrested 11 people, including Surajpal's close aide and sevadar Devprakash Madhukar. However, Surajpal is not among the accused.
Advocate Munna Singh Pundeer, representing the accused, confirmed that charges were formally read out on Wednesday.
"The case has now moved into the evidence stage. The prosecution will bring its witnesses and we will begin cross-examination. All 11 accused were present in court today, and all are currently out on bail," he said.
Pundeer added that the charges were framed under Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS) sections 105 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder), 110 (attempt to commit culpable homicide), 126(wrongful restraint), 223 (disobedience to order duly promulgated by public servant), 238 (Causing disappearance of evidence of offence, or giving false information to screen offender), 121(voluntarily causing hurt or grievous hurt to deter public servant from his duty), 132 (assault or criminal force to deter public servant from discharge of his duty), and 61(party to criminal conspiracy), as well as provisions of the Criminal Law Amendment Act.
He also reiterated the defence's claim that this was an "accidental case" and alleged that police had filed a "fabricated case" to cover up their own negligence.