2020 Delhi riots: Court acquits six of theft, arson charges

A court here has acquitted six men who were accused of committing arson, rioting and theft during the 2020 communal riots in northeast Delhi.

Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala was hearing the case against them.

It was alleged that they looted, vandalised and torched a house in Shiv Vihar on February 25, 2020. Later, a complaint about a clinic being set ablaze was also clubbed with this case.

In an order passed on Friday, the court observed that the prosecution had submitted the digital video recorder (DVR) as evidence against the accused. “However, no witness is there to identify any of the accused persons in the videos,” the court said.

It said the investigating officer (IO) of the case did not take any steps to confirm the appearance of any of the accused in the video clips through scientific examination or by comparing the video with the specimen picture of the accused persons.

“Thus, there is no evidence at all to establish that accused persons are appearing in those videos,” the court said.

It said neither did the call details record (CDR) establish the exact location of the accused persons nor did they establish involvement of the accused persons in the incident.

“I am of the opinion that there is no incriminating evidence against the accused persons,” the judge said adding, “the charges levelled against the accused persons in this case are not proved at all”.

The court acquitted Hashim Ali, Abu Bakar, Mohammad Ajeej, Rashid Ali, Nazmuddin and Mohammad Danish.

The Karawal Nagar police station had registered a case against the accused.