The court questioned why the burning of a Hero Honda showroom, which was the incident that triggered the FIR, was not investigated properly
NEW DELHI — A Delhi court has recently acquitted three Muslim youths in a 2020 Northeast Delhi riots case, sharply criticising police investigation as “callous” and riddled with flaws.
Additional Sessions Judge Parveen Singh at Karkardooma Courts set free Akil Ahmed alias Papad, Rahees Khan, and Irshad, accused of being part of a mob that torched vehicles and damaged property on February 25, 2020.
The court said the prosecution failed to prove its case beyond reasonable doubt, and the accused were entitled to acquittal.
The three allegedly torched two automobile showrooms and a vehicle at the height of communal clashes in Northeast Delhi that left 53 people dead, most of them Muslims. The trio faced serious charges under the Indian Penal Code and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.
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, media reports said.
The court also questioned why the burning of a Hero Honda showroom, which was the incident that triggered the FIR, was not investigated properly. “Serious doubts” over the timing of events and manner of arrest further weakened the case, the order said.
The ruling comes amid growing judicial criticism of riot-related cases. Several Delhi courts have previously acquitted dozens of accused, questioning poor evidence, unreliable witnesses and procedural lapses.
