Court acquits Delhi minister Sirsa, others in 2013 case

New Delhi, Sep 27 (PTI) A court here has acquitted Delhi minister Manjinder Singh Sirsa and nine others in a 2013 case for allegedly organising an unauthorised protest near the Congress office against former MP Sajjan Kumar.

An FIR was registered at Tughlak Road police station in May 2013 against the accused persons under IPC sections 147 (rioting), 149 (unlawful assembly), 188 (disobedience to an order duly promulgated by a public servant) and 427 (mischief causing damage of Rs 50 or more).

In an order dated September 23, additional chief judicial magistrate Neha Mittal said, "The prosecution has neither been able to prove that the gathering of the accused persons was an unlawful assembly nor the fact that they were commanded to disperse in view of promulgation of order under Section 144 (prohibitory order) of the CrPC." Regarding the offence of breaking the window panes of a government bus, the court said it was established that the damage was caused "due to the rush of the crowd".

Giving the benefit of doubt, the court acquitted the 10 accused persons.

The other accused persons in the case were Manjeet Singh GK, Onkar Singh Thapar, Kuldeep Singh Bhogal, Mandeep Kaur Bakshi, Avtar Singh Hit, Harjeet Singh, Harmeet Singh Kalka, Tejinder Pal Singh Goldi and Baljeet Kaur.

According to the prosecution, the accused, along with around 600 people, conducted a protest and damaged public property in front of the office of the All India Congress Committee on May 2, 2013. PTI MNR KVK KVK