After difficult legal proceedings, two Aam Aadmi Party leaders have been acquitted by a court in New Delhi for allegedly defying orders from a public servant regarding the maintenance of Covid protocols. Patel Nagar MLA Raaj Kumar Anand and MCD councillor Ankush Narang had been accused of participating in an unsanctioned protest back in February 2020, which took place near the home of Delhi BJP chief Aadesh Gupta. The two leaders were seen without masks, and not following social distancing protocols. However, the court ruled that there were various missing pieces of information and evidence which cast doubt on the prosecution’s case.
The Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate, Vidhi Gupta Anand, presided over the case, which was heard over several days. The prosecution argued that the two leaders had disobeyed an order issued by the assistant commissioner of police in Patel Nagar that advised people to wear masks and continue to practice social distancing, as mandated by the National Directives for Covid Management. However, the magistrate ruled that the evidence against the two leaders wasn’t strong enough to reach a verdict.
During the trial, the prosecution was unable to provide any photographic or video evidence of the alleged violation of the Covid protocols. Additionally, it came to light that vital witness statements had not been recorded until two months after the incident, and that the order they were accused of flouting was issued while they were already present at the demonstration. Ultimately, the case was dismissed due to a lack of evidence.
Individuals who hold public office must follow Covid protocols along with ordinary citizens, and the importance of doing so cannot be overstated. That being said, this particular case was clearly not strong enough to warrant a conviction for Anand and Narang. The court’s ruling, which highlighted the investigative lapses in the case, serves as a reminder that evidence must be robust and well-structured in order to prove guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
