A Delhi court has acquitted 30 men in connection with four separate cases stemming from the 2020 North-East Delhi riots, including three murder cases and one involving arson and looting of a medical shop. The verdicts were delivered over four consecutive days—May 13, 14, 16, and 17—by Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramachala at Karkardooma Court.
The accused were named in FIRs 36/2020, 37/2020, and 114/2020, registered at Gokalpuri police station, and FIR 64/2020 at Karawal Nagar police station. Among those acquitted were Lokesh Kumar Solanki, Pankaj Sharma, Sumit Chaudhary, Ankit Chaudhary, and others.
On May 13, the court cleared 14 individuals of all charges in FIR 37/2020, which was filed following the murder of Aamir Ali during the communal clashes. Although they were acquitted of charges including murder, rioting, and unlawful assembly, one accused—Lokesh Kumar Solanki—was found guilty under Sections 153A and 505 of the Indian Penal Code for inciting enmity and spreading public mischief.
In FIR 114/2020, based on a complaint from a man named Imran Sheikh who reported the looting and burning of his medical shop, the court found all accused not guilty. Similarly, FIR 64/2020, related to the killing of Shahbaz, who was allegedly beaten and set ablaze, and FIR 36/2020, linked to the death of Akil Ahmed from blunt force injuries, both resulted in complete acquittals.
The judge pointed to insufficient evidence, unreliable witness testimonies, and the prosecution’s failure to firmly establish the involvement of the accused as key reasons for the acquittals.
