New Delhi: Delhi's Karkardooma Court on Friday acquitted at least 10 persons in two cases related to the Northeast Delhi riots, which took place in 2020.
Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachal directed the acquittal, giving the “benefit of the doubt” to the accused, saying the allegations levelled against them were doubtful. He said that the statements and evidence of three prosecution witnesses cannot be trusted.
The accused who were acquitted include Mohammad Shahnawaz alias Shanu, Mohammad Shoaib alias Chutva, Shahrukh, Rashid alias Raja, Azad, Ashraf Ali, Parvez, Mohammad Faisal, Rashid alias Monu, and Mohammad Tahit.
The cases were registered at Gokalpuri Police Station following a complaint on March 1, 2020. They were being tried under sections 147, 148, 149, 436, 454, 392, 452, 188, 153A, 427, and 506 of the now-repealed Indian Penal Code (IPC).
Per the FIR (140/2020), the complainant Satish Kumar alleged that on February 24, 2020, “a crowd of over one thousand armed rioters entered his three-story house in Brijpuri. These people looted and vandalised the mobile shop located in his house. At around four-four thirty, a crowd of 50-60 people came again and threatened them to leave the house immediately or else they would be burnt alive.”
Another FIR related to the 2020 riots alleged that the mob looted about 20 tolas of gold, about 250 grams of silver jewellery, and Rs 1.5 lakh in cash from the complainant Narendra Kumar’s house.
“The mob set ablaze Kumar’s house, due to which many pieces of furniture, washing machines, gas cylinders, etc. were burnt. In FIR number 142,” it said.
The violence that took place in February 2020 in Northeast Delhi claimed at least 53 lives while 200 people were injured. So far, 750 cases have been registered in this matter.
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