Aayushi Srivastava –
Published On: November 05, 2021 at 13:44 IST
A Mumbai Sessions Court recently acquitted all 21 persons charged in connection with a Communal Riot in Maharashtra’s district, based on the lack of Evidence.
“A bare perusal of testimony of the above stated three witnesses would indicate that the three panch witnesses have turned hostile. Prosecution has not examined any eye witness… Similarly, policemen were present on the spot, but they have not been examined, for the reasons best known to the prosecution. Admittedly, 3,000-4,000 persons were involved in the matter. FIR was lodged against 21 known and 3,000-4,000 unknown persons. There is nothing on record to show the actual involvement or complicity of present accused Nos. 1 to 21 in said incident of rioting. There is nothing on record how police established identity and what was their actual role in the entire episode,” the Court stated.
On January 6, 2013, a fight broke out in an eatery in Dhule’s Macchi Bazaar causing social unrest. Following that, the Police opened fire, killing six members of the minority community.
Following the incident, the Azad Nagar police department lodged two FIRs, alleging attempted Murder, Rioting, and Property Damage.
The 21 Accused, the majority of whom were laborers, were eventually identified and detained for their suspected involvement in the violence in the first case.
A Charge-sheet has not yet been filed in the second case.
In the FIR filed on January 6, 2013, Dhule deputy SP Monika Raut stated “A mob of 2,000-3,000 Hindus and 3,000-4,000 Muslims were attacking each other. Stones, bricks, iron rods, iron pipes, sticks, glass bottles, tiles, and bottles filled with kerosene were liberally used.”
During the Trial, the Police questioned three witnesses but they became hostile. There were no eyewitnesses produced by the Police.
The Investigating Officer of the case died during the Trial, and the complainant, a Police Officer suspended in another case, did not appear in Court.
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