North East Delhi riots: Court acquits 6 accused of rioting, vandalism and burning property

New Delhi [India], July 26 (ANI): The Delhi Court, after noting a discrepancy in the prosecution's story, has recently acquitted 6 persons accused of rioting, vandalism and burning property in the Khajuri Khas area during the North East Delhi riots in February 2020.
An FIR was registered at Police Station Khajuri Khas under sections related to rioting, arson, robbery, etc.
Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Praveen Singh acquitted the accused, namely Rajendar Jha, Tejveer Chaudhary, Rajesh Jha, Govind Singh Manral, Peetamber Jha and Devendar Kumar alias Monu Pandit, for offences under section 147, 148, 149, 188, 392, 427, 435, 436, 34 of IPC.
ASJ Praveen Singh observed, "There are serious discrepancies in the story of the prosecution which had emerged during the prosecution evidence and the prosecution failed to explain them."
"Thus, I find that the prosecution has completely failed to prove its case against any of the accused persons for any of the charges that were framed against them. All the accused are accordingly acquitted of all the charges framed against them," ASJ Singh ordered on July 23.
The court pointed out that none of the public witnesses supported the prosecution's case that the accused were a part of the riotous mob which had looted, vandalised and ransacked the shops or houses.
The public witnesses were Vikas Sharma, Satish Chand Sharma, Gulzar, Alka Gupta and Altap, the court said.
The court noted that it was a surprising coincidence that, although the video had been shown to all these persons on March 20, 2020, none of them identified any of the accused prior to June 12, 2021.
Thereafter, the witnesses were cross-examined by the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) before the court, and they denied having identified any of the accused on June 12, 2021.
" Therefore, even this cross-examination cannot be of much help to the case of the prosecution," the court said in the order.
The present case was registered on a complaint filed by one Alka Gupta. She alleged that on February 26, 2020, the riotous mob had come to her shop, broken the shutter of her shop and had taken away the articles from her shop. They also set fire to her shop. In response to this complaint, the present FIR was registered.
During the investigation, three more complainants, namely Gulzar, Vikas Sharma and Md. Irshad made complaints regarding the loss caused to their shops in the riots. These complainants were clubbed in this FIR.
The court also noted a discrepancy in the statement of a police constable regarding the direction of movement of the riotous mob. (ANI)