Delhi Court acquits ten accused in 2020 Delhi Pogrom case, says prosecution failed to prove charges
Delhi: In a landmark decision, the Karkardooma Courts in Delhi have acquitted ten individuals who had been charged in connection with the 2020 Delhi riots. The court ruled that the prosecution had failed to provide sufficient evidence to substantiate the charges against the defendants.
The acquitted individuals are Mohammad Shahnawaz, Mohammad Shoaib, Shahrukh, Rashid, Azad, Ashraf Ali, Parvez, Mohammad Faisal, Rashid, and Mohammad Tahir. They faced charges of rioting, arson, theft, and vandalism in the Shiv Vihar area of Delhi.
The case stemmed from a complaint filed by Narender Kumar on March 1, 2020, at the Gokalpuri police station. Kumar alleged that a mob had vandalized his shop and subsequently looted his home, stealing gold, silver, and cash, while also setting his furniture ablaze. In total, 17 witnesses were examined, including 12 police officers.
However, the prosecution's case faltered due to inconsistencies and contradictions in witness testimonies. One key witness, who owned a shop near the incident site, testified that his shop remained unharmed. This contradicted earlier statements from a head constable and an assistant sub-inspector (ASI), who had claimed the shop was burned.
Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala noted that the discrepancies in the testimonies of the police witnesses undermined the credibility of the prosecution's case. “It is unsafe to rely on the evidence provided by these witnesses to confirm that all the accused were involved in the attacks,” the judge stated.
The defense team, including advocates Saleem Malik and Abdul Ghaffar under the guidance of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind’s Maulana Mahmood Asad Madani, successfully argued that the testimonies of key witnesses were unreliable. Many witnesses either retracted their statements or failed to identify the accused, further weakening the prosecution’s case.
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Birsa Munda's great-grandson, injured in road accident, dies of cardiovascular failure in Ranchi
Ranchi (PTI): Tribal icon Birsa Munda's great-grandson Mangal Munda, who was undergoing treatment at a hospital here after being injured in a road accident, died of "cardiovascular failure" on Friday, an official of the health facility said.
He was 45.
Mangal Munda breathed his last at 12.30 am at the state's apex health facility - Rajendra Institute of Medical Sciences.
Munda sustained severe head injuries after he fell from the roof of a passenger vehicle in Jharkhand's Khunti district on November 25.
"Birsa Munda's kin Mangal Munda died of cardiovascular failure around 12.30 am. He was on a ventilator after being critically injured. We tried our best to save him but failed," RIMS Medical Superintendent Dr Hiren Birua told PTI.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi's office, Union Health Minister JP Nadda and the Jharkhand Chief Minister's office were in touch with the RIMS authorities in connection with Munda's treatment.
