A Delhi court has acquitted 11 men who were accused in a case related to the northeast Delhi riots of 2020. The court stated that there was insufficient evidence to suggest a serious suspicion of their involvement in the alleged offenses.

Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala presided over the case involving eleven accused individuals, who were alleged to have participated in a mob that engaged in rioting, stone-pelting, vandalism, and arson at Sherpur Chowk in Dayalpur on February 23, 2020. The case also encompassed nine other related complaints that were consolidated with this particular instance.

“It cannot be said that a grave suspicion is created against the accused persons to show their involvement in any of the incidents being prosecuted in this case. In fact, there is no specific evidence in respect of finding the culprit behind the incident related to other complaints, which were clubbed…,” the court said.

In an order dated March 4, the court highlighted that a general piece of evidence alone was insufficient to incriminate an accused individual for a specific incident. Furthermore, the court emphasized the absence of specific evidence demonstrating the involvement of the accused in a criminal conspiracy.

“I find that accused Ajmat Ali, Shadab Alam, Naved, Mohammed Shahid, Mohammed Sakir, Nadeem, Mohammed Sohail, Sultan Ahmed, Wazid, Suleman, and Mohammed Faeem are entitled to discharge. Hence, all the accused persons are hereby discharged in this case,” it said.

The court said the statements of two eyewitnesses were “vague” and “general.” It noted that according to the investigating officer (IO), he saw two mobs raising slogans against each other and they later started throwing stones and torching vehicles.