New Delhi

A Delhi court has acquitted four men accused in a case related to the 2020 Delhi riots, observing that it would be “dangerous” to rely on the testimonies of two police personnel because their statements were contradicted by investigation records and other evidence.

Additional Sessions Judge Parveen Singh was hearing the case against Sumit Kumar, Anuj, Rahul and Sachin, who were accused of burning an auto-rickshaw and vandalising and setting fire to a shop in the Karawal Nagar area during the riots.

In an order dated May 19, the court said that the testimonies of the two police witnesses — Head Constable Mithilesh and Assistant Sub-Inspector Junaid — were not credible enough to sustain the prosecution’s case.

According to the prosecution, complainant Wazid had alleged that rioters set his auto-rickshaw on fire on February 25, 2020. Another complainant, Shamshad, alleged that his shop was vandalised and torched during the violence.

The prosecution claimed that CCTV footage helped identify the accused and primarily relied on the testimonies of the two police personnel, who said they witnessed a mob attacking an auto driver and setting the vehicle and shop ablaze.

An FIR was registered at Karawal Nagar Police Station, and the accused were charged with rioting, unlawful assembly, disobedience of lawful orders and mischief causing damage.

However, the court pointed out significant inconsistencies in the evidence presented during the trial. It noted that complainant Wazid could not be produced before the court, while Shamshad admitted that the incident at his shop occurred in his absence and that he could not identify any individual involved in the violence.

The court further observed that even if the CCTV footage produced by the prosecution was accepted as genuine, it did not relate to the incidents for which charges had been framed against the accused.

The judge also highlighted contradictions regarding the location of the incident. While the police witnesses claimed they saw the burning of the auto-rickshaw at Karawal Nagar Chowk, investigation officers testified that the actual incident took place around 1.5 kilometres away on Pushta Road.

READ MORE: Syed Mubin Zehra’s scholarship inspires beyond classrooms

Holding that the prosecution failed to prove the charges beyond reasonable doubt, the court acquitted all four accused of the offences.