Feb 2020 riots: 3 acquitted of arson, conspiracy charges

New Delhi, Aug 19 (PTI) A Delhi court has acquitted three persons of various charges, including arson and criminal conspiracy in a February 2020 riots' case.

Additional sessions judge Parveen Singh was hearing a case registered by the Dayalpur police station against the trio.

According to the prosecution, Akil Ahmed alias Papad, Rahees Khan and Irshad were part of a riotous mob, which torched and vandalised several vehicles and properties during the violence on February 25, 2020.

In an order on August 14, the judge acquitted the accused persons, saying, "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 40-page order, further flagged the conduct of some police witnesses, who "despite being posted in the same police station" and having witnessed the incident on February 25, 2020, aside from knowing the names of the accused as claimed by at least one of them, "never informed the investigating officer (IO)" about it.

The court also underscored the contradiction in the testimony of police witnesses over the timing of the incident.

The order also raised "serious" doubts on the manner of arrest of the accused persons.

"The chargesheet as well as the IOs have been completely silent about this Hero Honda showroom being burnt. Why the incident, which became the starting point of this FIR wherein other incidents were clubbed later on, was not investigated, has nowhere been explained," the court added. PTI MNR MNR AMK AMK