New Delhi: The Karkardooma court in Delhi on Friday acquitted four accused in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots case for lack of evidence. Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala, gave benefit of doubt to the accused Mohd Shahnawaz, Mohd Shoaib, Shah Rukh and Rashid who were acquitted of all charges under various sections of the Indian Penal Code, 1860.
The judge observed that the sole testimony of a constable (prosecution witness), who had claimed that he had seen the accused in the crowd, cannot be sufficient to infer their presence in the crowd. The case in which the accused were named was registered after a mob set ablaze the shop and vehicle of one Ravi Shankar, a resident of Karawal Nagar.
Also read: 2020 Delhi riots: Court acquits 4 accused of charges of rioting, torching vehicles
In the case, prosecution witness, a constable, stated that the incident took place after midnight, however, another witness, a head constable, mentioned the time to be around 2 am thereby making the statements inconsistent. The prosecution witness then submitted that he was suffering from memory loss and was also taking medicine for the same.
In his complaint, the victim Ravi Shankar said his shop and vehicle were set ablaze by the mob on 26 February 2020 near Chaman Park, Johripur Shiv Vihar Road. Public prosecutor Nitin Rai Sharma appeared on behalf of the police. On November 14 also, a Delhi court acquitted another four accused of the charges of rioting and vandalism in the 2020 northeast Delhi riots for lack of evidence.
