New Delhi: Two persons, accused of firing at a police team which apprehended them following a chase here in 2010, have been acquitted by a Delhi court as it noted that contradictions in the version of witnesses raise “serious doubts” over the incident. Additional Sessions Judge Reetesh Singh acquitted Surjeet and Sonu Daggar, who were arrested by Special Cell of Delhi Police in November 2010. Two pistols were allegedly recovered from their possession. “The lacunae coupled with the contradictions in the version of the prosecution witnesses… cast serious doubts on their version. The benefit of such doubt will have to go in favour of the accused persons,” the court said.
“The net result of above discussion is that prosecution has been unable to prove the charges framed against accused Surjeet and Sonu Daggar beyond reasonable doubt,” it said. According to police, Surjeet was awarded life term in a case and he had jumped parole while his associate Sonu was involved in a double murder case and attempt to murder cases. They claimed that they had received a tip-off on November 15, 2010, that Surjeet, who was w anted in cases lodged in Delhi and Haryana, and Sonu would be coming here through Sindhu Border in a car. It said that a police team was constituted and, after they spotted their car, they signalled to its driver to stop but he increased speed and the other person sitting in the vehicle allegedly fired at the police team. The police officials also fired back to stop their car but the accused tried to flee from the spot near Narela and they stopped their vehicle and fired again at the cops.
It was claimed that both the accused were apprehended after a chase and two pistols were recovered from their possession. During the trial, the counsel for the accused argued that the version of police regarding the manner in which his clients were apprehended and recoveries were effected from them was full of contradictions. The counsel also said that police had not made any effort to trace the owner of the car in which the accused were allegedly travelling and weapons were planted on them.
