Noting that the only ‘incriminating’ material against the accused persons were their own disclosure statements made after the arrests which “has no value in the eyes of law”, a Delhi court has discharged six persons in a case pertaining to the 2020 northeast Delhi riots.
The persons discharged by Additional Sessions Judge Amitabh Rawat were identified as Amir, Saddam, Mohd. Rahis, Amir, Akram and Wasim.
“The only incriminating material against the said six accused persons is the disclosure statements made by them consequent to their arrest,” ASJ Rawat said, adding that disclosure statements, by themselves, have no value in the eyes of law.
The court further went on to observe that based on the contents of the chargesheet in the case, there was no worthwhile material at all to frame charges against the accused persons.
‘No witnesses’
ASJ Rawat also said that there was no witness available in the case, neither public nor police, who had identified the accused persons as committing the offence.
According to the case records, the matter pertained to that of rioting and arson, registered at the Jyoti Nagar police station, where it was stated that two tractors and other property were vandalised and burnt by around 700 to 800 rioters who were armed with sticks, rods and explosive material and were also sloganeering. Hence, the prosecution pressed for framing of charges against the accused under IPC sections pertaining to mischief of burning, ransacking and arson of property, among others.
