Court discharges 8 accused of arson in Delhi riots case

New Delhi, September 11

A Delhi court has discharged eight accused from the charge of causing arson during the February 2020 riots, noting there was no CCTV footage and no complainant had identified them or alleged they committed the offence.

Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Yadav said the ingredients of Section 436 of the Indian Penal Code (mischief by fire or explosive substance), which was added in the chargesheet, were “not at all made out” from the material produced by the investigating agency. Eight persons were arrested based on 12 complaints filed by various shopkeepers who alleged that their shops were allegedly looted and vandalised by the riotous mob during the communal violence in northeast Delhi. The accused were arrested based on disclosure statements given by them in other cases filed against them and identification by police constables, who were posted as beat officers in that area. — PTI