Delhi Court Acquits Accused in Northeast Riots Case, Criticizes Police for Mishandling Additional Complaints
A court in Delhi recently acquitted an accused individual of all charges related to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots. The court also took the opportunity to criticize the city police for mishandling 19 additional complaints that were not properly investigated.
The case involved Sandeep Kumar, who was accused of being part of a riotous mob that looted, vandalized, and torched a shop in the Shiv Vihar locality during the communal riots on February 25, 2020. However, the court found discrepancies in the testimonies and evidence presented.
The court specifically highlighted an issue with the 19 additional complaints that were clubbed together with the main case. Out of these complaints, only two were relevant to the location of the complainant’s shop. Additionally, the investigating officer reported that eight complainants could not be found. The court expressed its disbelief at the police’s decision to file chargesheets and untrace reports together, as this practice is incorrect.
Furthermore, the court emphasized the importance of allowing complainants to exercise their rights when an untraced report or closure report is filed. In this case, due to the wrong clubbing of multiple complaints under one FIR, the complainants were unable to exercise their rights.
Regarding the complainant’s specific case, the court determined that while the incident of rioting, vandalism, and looting was established, the presence of the accused in the unlawful assembly responsible for the incident could not be proven beyond reasonable doubt. The court underscored that the identification of the accused by the head constable, who was the sole eyewitness, was not reliable.
Consequently, the court acquitted Sandeep Kumar of all charges and directed the concerned station house officer to investigate the additional 19 complaints separately.
This verdict brings attention to the need for proper handling and investigation of complaints by the police. It serves as a reminder that justice should prevail through a thorough examination of evidence and a fair trial.
