Karkardooma Court Acquits Mohammad Shah Nawaz In Delhi Riots Case

In a significant ruling, the Karkardooma Court acquitted Mohammad Shah Nawaz, a key accused in the case of 22-year-old Dilbar Negi’s death during the 2020 Delhi riots.

The court emphasized that the prosecution failed to prove Shah Nawaz’s involvement in the mob that set fire to the sweet shop in Gokulpuri, leading to Negi’s death, due to a lack of solid evidence.

Additional Sessions Judge Pulastya Pramanchala delivered the judgment, noting that the FIR did not mention Shah Nawaz’s name, and no witnesses identified him as part of the riotous mob.

The Incident & Charges

A mob attacked and set the shop on fire during the riots that broke out in Delhi in February 2020, killing Dilbar Negi, a worker at Anil Sweets Corner in Gokulpuri.

The police had filed a detailed FIR against multiple accused under sections 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting with deadly weapons), 149 (unlawful assembly), 302 (murder), 201 (destruction of evidence), 436 (arson), and 427 (causing damage).

Negi’s murder, allegedly committed by the rioters who also vandalized and set fire to several properties, had initially led to the arrest of 12 accused, including Shah Nawaz.

Court’s Reasoning & Previous Verdicts

The court also referred to the fact that in October 2023, 11 accused were acquitted for lack of evidence, leaving Shah Nawaz as the only one facing charges.

It noted that no witness specifically pointed to him, nor did any physical evidence corroborate his involvement.

Furthermore, none of the witnesses had named him immediately after the incident, and the police had failed to establish his direct involvement in the attack.

The case highlights the ongoing challenges in securing convictions in riot-related violence due to the lack of concrete evidence and the complexities of witness testimony.

The acquittal of Mohammad Shah Nawaz has raised questions about the effectiveness of legal proceedings in riot cases and the burden of proof required for a conviction.

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