A Delhi court has discharged two men identified as Ashraf and Parvez in a case related to Delhi’s anti-Muslim pogrom. The court said there was not sufficient evidence on record to substantiate charges of rioting and arson against them.

Ashraf and Parvez were framed in a case related to rioting, causing injuries to the public looting and setting ablaze of the houses/shops in Shiv Vihar area on 24 February 2020.

The police had quoted one Ajeet Kumar Tomar as an eyewitness in their report. However, the court said that when a large number of people take part in arson or in a clash between two groups, in order to convict a person, at least two prosecution witnesses are required to support and identify the role and involvement of the accused.

“There is only one witness i.e. the complainant and he too has not described the role of the accused in the incident,” the court said.

“It would be a sheer wastage of judicial time if the charges are to be framed against the accused upon consideration of the evidence on record on the basis of which he has to be acquitted later on,” it further said.