Court directs top cop to take action against officers responsible for lapse in 2020 riots probe

In an order passed on January 31, Additional Sessions Judge Parveen Singh of the Karkardooma Courts acquitted six accused, Prem Prakash, Ishu Gupta, Rajkumar, Amit, Rahul and Surendra Singh, who had been charged with criminal conspiracy, rioting and destruction of property using explosives, among other offences.

The court observed that the rights of the accused would not have been “bulldozed and pulverised” had the police conducted a fair investigation.

As per the chargesheet, the police alleged that the six were part of a mob that set fire to several shops and houses near the Aziziya mosque in the New Usmanpur area of north-east Delhi on February 25, 2020.

The communal violence that erupted in February 2020 left over 50 people dead and several injured.

“The audacity and impunity with which the record was tampered with reflects a complete breakdown of the supervisory mechanism, as the fabricated chargesheet was forwarded by the supervisory officers, the then SHO and the ACP,” the court noted, directing the police chief to take action to “prevent the recurrence of such ignominy”.

The court termed the prosecution’s case as “built-up” and said eyewitness statements had been “manipulated, fabricated and tampered with”.

Referring to CCTV footage submitted as evidence against Prem Prakash, the judge said when the video files were played, the screen remained blank. “I fail to understand by what divine intervention the investigating officer came to know that Prem Prakash was involved in this riot,” the court observed.

Concluding that the prosecution had “miserably failed” to prove its case, the court acquitted all six accused of all charges.