2006 rioting case: Delhi court discharges BJP leaders
A Delhi court has discharged BJP leaders Ramesh Bidhuri, Vijay Goel, Vijay Joli, and Balkishan in a case of rioting and instigating public to attack police personnel during a protest in 2006. Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Samar Vishal granted the relief noting that Delhi Police's charge-sheet was sketchy and dismissive in nature and there's no investigation on the identity of the accused persons.
Case investigation done in a perfunctory manner: Court
"The evidence about the involvement of the accused is so bleak and inadmissible being hearsay, that there exists no grave suspicion against them which is a sine qua non for framing of charges against them," the court said. It also said that the investigation in the case seemed to have been done in a perfunctory manner, which caused prejudice to the accused persons.
Court called in officials for clarification regarding the accused
"Before hearing of charge, the investigating officer, SHO, and ACP of Parliament Street Police Station were called in for clarification that why they picked only some and made them accused and exonerated the rest. No satisfactory explanation came on behalf of them," said the court.
Names of the accused were taken by demonstrators: Constable
"However, it was admitted by constable Surender Singh that the names of these persons, who have been charge-sheeted were revealed to him only because these names were being taken by the demonstrators. He doesn't know them personally nor has seen them before or after the incident," the court said. According to police, the BJP leaders instigated the demonstrators who attacked the police force.
Police force attacked by demonstrators at Jantar Mantar
The demonstrators attacked the police force after breaking a barricade during a protest held at Jantar Mantar against the then chief minister Sheila Dikshit on the issue of shortage of water and electricity.
Policemen were injured in the incident
During the incident, certain policemen were injured but none of the demonstrators were arrested for fear of rioting, the final report said. Thereafter, the police filed the charge-sheet against the BJP leaders for the offense punishable under various IPC Sections, including rioting and preventing a public person from doing his duty. The accused persons had claimed that they were falsely implicated for political considerations.
