A Delhi court has acquitted three men accused of arson and criminal conspiracy in connection with the February 2020 northeast Delhi riots, citing doubts over witness credibility and lapses in police investigation.
Additional Sessions Judge Parveen Singh was hearing a case filed at Dayalpur police station against Akil Ahmed alias Papad, Rahees Khan, and Irshad, who were accused of being part of a mob that torched vehicles and damaged property on February 25, 2020.
In a 40-page order delivered on August 14, the court said, “In view of the serious doubts about the credibility of witnesses, probable manipulation of case diary and callous manner of investigation, I am of the opinion that the prosecution has failed to prove its case beyond all reasonable doubts.”
The court pointed out contradictions in police testimony, noting that despite being posted at the same police station, witnesses did not inform the investigating officer about the accused, even though they allegedly knew their names.
It also questioned why the burning of a Hero Honda showroom, which was the incident that triggered the FIR, was not investigated properly. The “serious doubts” over the timing of events and manner of arrest further weakened the case, the order said.
The acquittal adds to a series of similar cases where courts have pulled up police for shoddy investigations into the 2020 Delhi riots, which left over 50 people dead and hundreds injured.
