North-East Delhi violence: Court acquits man in first judgement, finds testimony of witnesses contradictory

By By Sushil Batra
New Delhi [India], July 20 : A Delhi court on Tuesday acquitted an accused in an unlawful assembly and looting shop case connected to northeast Delhi violence. This was the first case in connection with the violence where the judgement was pronounced.
Karkardooma's Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat acquitted Suresh alias Bhatura of all charges. The court said that the testimony of witnesses was contradictory, and identification of the accused was not possible.
As per the prosecution, accused Suresh was part of the unlawful assembly armed with sticks and rods which broke the lock and opened the shutter of the shop of the complainant Asif, owned by Bhagat Singh.
The court on March 9, 2021, had ordered to frame charges against Suresh under Section 454 (house trespass), Section 395 (dacoity) and other various offences dealing with the unlawful assembly of the Indian Penal Code.
On the basis of material on record, the Court had ordered to frame charges against Suresh under sections 143 (unlawful assembly), 147 (rioting), 427 (mischief causing damage), 454 read with sections 149 and 395 of the IPC.
Delhi Police had filed the chargesheet under sections 143, 147, 149, 454, 395 of the IPC against accused Suresh.
The complainant Asif had stated that on February 25, 2020 evening, a huge crowd of people carrying iron rods and lathi attacked his shop located on main Babarpur road in northeast Delhi, broke open the shutter lock and looted it.
According to the prosecution, the shop was owned by Bhagat Singh and given on rent to Asif.
The prosecution has said that Bhagat Singh, who was the owner of the shop, had given a statement that there were certain people who were inciting others to damage and loot the shop because it was owned by a Muslim.