A court in Delhi, on Thursday, came down heavily on the Delhi Police for its probe into a 2020 riots case, saying that its failure to conduct a proper investigation will "torment" the sentinels of democracy when history will look back at the worst communal riots in the national capital since partition.
The court, which discharged former AAP councillor Tahir Hussain's brother Shah Alam and two others in a case related to alleged loot and vandalization of a shop during the riots in February 2020 at Delhi's Chand Bagh area, also called the probe "callous and indolent" which gives an impression that a constable was planted as a witness.
Additional Sessions Judge Vinod Yadav called the case a colossal wastage of the hard-earned money of taxpayers in which the police merely tried to pull the wool over the court's eyes and nothing else.
The court noted that there was no CCTV footage of the incident to confirm the presence of the accused at the spot, no independent eye witness, and no evidence regarding the criminal conspiracy.
Furthermore, the court said that the probe lacked sensitivity and skillfulness.
The court said that after investigating this matter for so long, the police presented only five witnesses -- the victim, Duty Officer, formal witness, investigating officer (IO), and a constable, who had identified the three accused.
He said that no real or effective investigation has been carried out and the police have just tried to show the case as "solved" merely by recording the statement of the constable, that too at a belated stage.
The news has resulted in a lot of criticism for Delhi Police from people all over India.
Here's what people are saying. Have a look.
With inputs from PTI.
