In a significant ruling, a Delhi court has acquitted five men previously accused of murder during the violent riots that shook Delhi in February 2020. Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala, presiding over the case, declared on April 3 that there was insufficient evidence to link the accused to the murder or any related criminal activities.
The court released Kuldeep, Deepak Yadav, Deepak Thakur, Mohammed Furkan, and Mohammed Irshad, who had been charged in connection with the death of Salman, allegedly killed by a mob during the riots. The judge pointed out major investigative shortcomings, including the inability of the police to identify actual perpetrators among the rioters.
During the proceedings, it was revealed that two opposing mobs, identified by different faiths, clashed at Shiv Vihar Tiraha on February 24, 2020. However, the judge noted that the prosecution failed to prove that the accused were part of any mob with the common objective of committing violence against Salman.
“The court cannot accept the investigating officer’s approach to charge members of both groups with culpable homicide under these circumstances,” Judge Pramachala stated, emphasizing that the charges against the accused were not in accordance with legal standards.
The court also criticized the Delhi Police for their investigative approach, suggesting that an ‘untrace report’ should have been filed given the lack of conclusive evidence to pinpoint the culprits. The ruling highlighted that none of the prosecution witnesses could testify regarding the involvement of the accused in Salman’s murder, and video footage presented as evidence did not convincingly place any of the accused at the scene engaged in criminal acts.
Additionally, the court dismissed the criminal conspiracy charges, citing a complete absence of evidence supporting the allegations.
