CBI court acquits 56 in 2016 arson case at Haryana BJP leader Capt Abhimanyu’s house

Nearly a decade after the violence during the 2016 Jat reservation agitation, the CBI Special Court in Panchkula on Friday acquitted 56 accused in the case related to arson, looting and vandalism at the Rohtak residence of senior Haryana BJP leader Capt Abhimanyu.The incident occurred on February 19, 2016, when Abhimanyu was serving as Finance Minister in the Haryana Government.According to the CBI chargesheet, large-scale violence broke out near Delhi Bye Pass in Rohtak around 2:30 pm during the agitation. Agitators allegedly attacked police and BSF personnel using firearms. After firing at Delhi Bye Pass Chowk, the mob reportedly moved towards the protest site at the entry of Sector-14, where rumours spread that several persons had been killed in police firing allegedly ordered by the government.The CBI alleged that voices were heard inciting the mob: “in front of them, there is a house of Capt Abhimanyu,” and urging rioters to set it on fire, loot it and kill anyone present, accusing the government of ordering firing on protesters.At around 3:30 pm, rioters armed with lathis, swords, jellies, iron rods, firearms and petrol bombs allegedly surrounded Abhimanyu’s house in Sector-14. The agency claimed the mob forcibly snatched weapons from security personnel, fired gunshots and broke open the main gate.Around 5:30 pm, a group of nearly 150 rioters allegedly returned to the residence, destroyed the ‘yagyashala’ behind the house and set it ablaze. The mob also reportedly vandalised neighbouring houses (Nos. 12 and 13) and torched more than 10 parked vehicles.The following day, February 20, at around 11 am, another mob allegedly entered the house again and set remaining items and vehicles on fire. The total estimated loss to movable and immovable property was pegged at approximately Rs 14 crore.The CBI had taken over the probe into the case.The Prakash Singh Committee, constituted to examine police and administrative lapses during the agitation, had noted serious shortcomings in response to the arson. It observed, “A total of 66 police personnel were deployed in the area of PS Urban Estate on that day. No force was used to disperse the agitators. In fact, no police personnel reached the spot to help the family or repel the agitators.”During the trial, however, several private prosecution witnesses turned hostile.“The evidence was weak in the case. Eye-witnesses claimed by CBI turned hostile,” said defence counsel SPS Parmar.“The CBI case was weak. The accused have got justice. There were 127 witnesses against 56 accused. But it ended in acquittal. There were four juveniles, too, who were tried at juvenile justice court in Rohtak and got acquitted, too, a few years ago,” said another defence counsel, Satish Kadyan.In January 2020, a Jat Mahapanchayat held in Jind had reportedly pardoned the youths accused in the case, and a compromise was said to have been reached between the former minister and the accused.

CBI court acquits 56 in 2016 arson case at Haryana BJP leader Capt Abhimanyu’s house

Most prosecution witnesses turn hostile; court cites weak evidence

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

CBI court acquits 56 in 2016 arson case at Haryana BJP leader Capt Abhimanyu’s house

Most prosecution witnesses turn hostile; court cites weak evidence

Bhartesh Singh Thakur

Tribune News Service

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