Policemen stand guard in the aftermath of the 2020 north-east Delhi riots.
| Photo Credit: File Photo
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A court here has acquitted three men in a 2020 north-east Delhi riots case about vandalism at two properties citing the lack of evidence.
While acquitting Dinesh Yadav, Sandeep and Tinku, Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala said the statements made by prosecution witnesses were “based on hearsay only”.
The case was based on an FIR lodged at the Gokalpuri police station in February 2020 based on the complaints of Aakil Saifi and Irfan about a mob vandalising their properties. The accused were identified by the testimonies of the victims and eyewitnesses.
“These witnesses stated that they were informed by some persons about vandalism and arson. They did not disclose the particulars of those informers… [Their statements] cannot be the basis to say that these incidents were caused by a mob,” the court said.
“It is the case of the prosecution that the accused persons were members of a mob which vandalised two properties. However, the prosecution could not even prove that there was a mob behind these incidents. In such a situation, the inevitable conclusion is that there is no evidence on the record to show involvement of the accused persons in the incidents at E-167 and A-168, Bhagirathi Vihar,” it added.