2020 Delhi riots: Court acquits all 6 accused

In a recent development, a court in Delhi has acquitted six individuals who were accused of participating in the riots, arson, and looting that took place during the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala made the decision while presiding over the case against Sahil, Dinesh, Tinku, Sandeep, Vikas Kashyap, and Sonu. The accused were alleged to have been part of a riotous mob that committed trespass and theft in a shop in Bhagirathi Vihar on the night of February 24th and 25th, 2020. They were also accused of being members of an unlawful assembly that engaged in arson, trespass, and theft in a nearby house at around 9 pm on February 24.

The court, in its ruling on Thursday, stated, “I find that charges levelled against the accused persons, in this case, are not proved beyond a reasonable doubt. Hence, all the accused persons are acquitted of all the charges levelled against them in this case.” The judge highlighted that the prosecution’s case relied on the testimony of a constable and an assistant sub-inspector who claimed to have witnessed the incidents. However, the judge noted a significant disparity in their statements regarding the timing of the events. Consequently, the court found it difficult to rely on their claims and considered it as circumstantial evidence that a riotous mob was responsible for the incidents.

The judge further stated, “Keeping in view such evidence, it can be presumed that both these incidents would have been caused by a riotous mob.” Nonetheless, the evidence provided by the prosecution was deemed insufficient, as separate cases were registered by the police based on specific incidents of riots. The court emphasized that it was the prosecution’s duty to establish that all the accused were part of the mob responsible for the vandalism, arson, and looting at the two specific properties in question. Moreover, a crucial witness, the complainant’s neighbor who supposedly informed him about the timing of the incident, was not traced or examined.

“In such circumstances, I find that prosecution has failed to prove beyond reasonable doubts that accused persons herein were part of the mob, which was responsible behind both the incidents probed in this case,” the judge concluded. The FIR against the six accused was initially registered at Gokalpuri police station under various provisions of the IPC, including rioting, based on two complaints.