(source : ANI) ( Photo Credit : ani)
A Delhi court has cleared 16 people of charges in a long-running case tied to riots and property damage from over a decade ago. The Tis Hazari Court in New Delhi made the decision on September 24, giving the accused the benefit of the doubt after finding major gaps in the prosecution’s evidence.
The case stems from a 2012 incident near Jama Masjid, where police filed an FIR accusing the group of stone pelting, setting fire to a police post by Jagat Cinema, and causing chaos in the Urdu Bazar area. Prosecutors claimed the men formed an unlawful assembly that night of July 21, stole items, and wrecked several cars while blocking officers from doing their jobs.
Additional Sessions Judge Virender Kumar Kharta reviewed the evidence and pointed out key problems. Witnesses, including the complainant, head constable Raj Kumar, constable Rajesh, and retired ASI Taushif Khan, gave conflicting stories. No independent eyewitnesses came forward, and police never collected any CCTV footage from the scene. The judge said these issues created too much doubt, making two possible interpretations of events—and the accused get the favorable one.
“This court believes the prosecution couldn’t prove the charges beyond a reasonable doubt,” Kharta wrote in his ruling. He specifically dismissed claims under various Indian Penal Code sections for rioting, unlawful assembly, obstructing public servants, damaging property, theft, and arson. One accused, Mohd. Irshad, also walked free from an additional charge of non-appearance before authorities.
The freed men include Imran alias Dagga, Bilal, Mohd. Shamim, Naeemuddin, Tohid Ahmed, Abdul Zahid, Shahid, Ziauddin, Arshad, Abdul Wahid, Mohd. Imran alias Raizwan, Salman alias Rajan, Mohd. Arif, Nadeem, Mohd. Iqrar, and Mohd. Irshad. This acquittal highlights ongoing challenges in old riot cases, especially in proving facts after so much time has passed.
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