3 acquitted in riots case: Evidence exploited, probe shoddy, says court

A local court slammed the Delhi Police for manipulating evidence without actually investigating a case related to the February 2020 north-east Delhi riots while acquitting three accused persons.

- Deepankar Malviya

"Instead of having grave suspicion against the accused persons for their involvement in the alleged incidents...I have suspicion for the IO (investigating officer) having manipulated the evidence in the case, without actually investigating the reported incidents properly," said additional sessions judge Pulastya Pramachala in an order on Wednesday discharging the three accused - Akil Ahmed, Raheesh Khan and Irshad.

At least 53 people died and about 700 were injured during communal riots in north-east Delhi triggered after clashes between pro and anti-CAA/NRC protesters.

The case dates to February, 2020, when a mob raised slogans, vandalised, and torched vehicles parked inside Victoria Public School on Wazirabad Road. On February 25, an unidentified man called the Dayalpur police station and said that a mob had set vehicles parked inside the school on fire that day, based on which the police registered a complaint. Over the following days, the police received four other complaints.