A Delhi court on Friday acquitted four men in a case of rioting and setting fire to a shop during the communal riots in north-east Delhi in 2020..Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ), Karkardooma Courts, Pulastya Pramachala acquitted Mohammad Shahnawaz, Mohammad Shoaib, Shahrukh and Rashid of all charges..The court noted that the two prosecution witnesses – both police officials – did not state about any overt act of the accused persons and there was a marked difference in their testimonies regarding the time of the incident and number of persons who had assembled at the spot..It further said that the sole testimony of the police officials cannot be sufficient to assume the presence of the accused persons and, therefore, in such a situation they deserve the benefit of doubt.“…I find that charges levelled against the accused persons in this case are not proved beyond doubts. Hence, accused Mohd. Shahnawaz @ Shanu, Mohd. Shoaib @ Chhutwa, Shahrukh and Rashid @ Raja, are acquitted of all the charges levelled against them in this case,” the Court ordered..The allegation against the four was that they had set fire to a shop in Delhi’s Gokulpuri area while the riots were going on. They were arrested by the police on April 25, 2020.However, they argued that there were many contradictions in the statements of the police officials stated to be present on the spot.While one of them claimed that there were around 500-600 people on the spot, the other estimated the number to be around 50-60 people, the Court was told.The defence, therefore, said that the police fabricated the whole story and the case was not proved beyond reasonable doubt..Advocates Z Babar Chauhan and Salim Malik appeared for the accused in the case.State was represented through Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Nitin Rai Sharma. .[Read Judgment]
A Delhi court on Friday acquitted four men in a case of rioting and setting fire to a shop during the communal riots in north-east Delhi in 2020..Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ), Karkardooma Courts, Pulastya Pramachala acquitted Mohammad Shahnawaz, Mohammad Shoaib, Shahrukh and Rashid of all charges..The court noted that the two prosecution witnesses – both police officials – did not state about any overt act of the accused persons and there was a marked difference in their testimonies regarding the time of the incident and number of persons who had assembled at the spot..It further said that the sole testimony of the police officials cannot be sufficient to assume the presence of the accused persons and, therefore, in such a situation they deserve the benefit of doubt.“…I find that charges levelled against the accused persons in this case are not proved beyond doubts. Hence, accused Mohd. Shahnawaz @ Shanu, Mohd. Shoaib @ Chhutwa, Shahrukh and Rashid @ Raja, are acquitted of all the charges levelled against them in this case,” the Court ordered..The allegation against the four was that they had set fire to a shop in Delhi’s Gokulpuri area while the riots were going on. They were arrested by the police on April 25, 2020.However, they argued that there were many contradictions in the statements of the police officials stated to be present on the spot.While one of them claimed that there were around 500-600 people on the spot, the other estimated the number to be around 50-60 people, the Court was told.The defence, therefore, said that the police fabricated the whole story and the case was not proved beyond reasonable doubt..Advocates Z Babar Chauhan and Salim Malik appeared for the accused in the case.State was represented through Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) Nitin Rai Sharma. .[Read Judgment]
