2017 P'kula arson: 69 walk free as prosecution's case falls flat

The accused hail from various states, including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi

- Brijender Gaur

PANCHKULA: In a significant setback for the Haryana Police, the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate (CJM) Ajay Kumar acquitted all 69 accused in a 2017 case related to the violence that erupted in Panchkula following the conviction of Dera Sacha Sauda chief Gurmeet Ram Rahim Singh. The accused, hailing from various states including Haryana, Punjab, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh and Delhi, were charged under multiple sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC) and the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act.

While acquitting the accused, the court said, "...because it is a case of prosecution that a number of followers of Baba Gurmeet Ram Rahim attacked the police party, then it was of utmost importance that the identification parade should have been conducted by the police during the course of investigation, to ascertain the identity of the assailants/attackers."