A Delhi court has acquitted a man accused of involvement in a 2021 firing incident in the Badarpur area that left a police head constable and a civilian injured, ruling that the prosecution failed to establish his presence at the scene beyond reasonable doubt.
Additional Sessions Judge Sheetal Chaudhary Pradhan acquitted Sujeet of charges including attempted murder and offences related to obstructing and assaulting public servants while they were performing official duties.
Case Linked to Firing on Police Team
The case arose from an incident on November 6, 2021, when police personnel responded to reports of a quarrel in Badarpur.
According to the prosecution, a group of juveniles allegedly opened fire on the police team after officers arrived at the location. Authorities claimed that Sujeet was accompanying the juvenile offenders and shared a common intention in the commission of the offence.
Court Questions Investigation
In its order dated May 25, the court highlighted several shortcomings in the investigation.
The judge noted that Sujeet’s name surfaced only through disclosure statements made by juvenile co-accused and that investigators failed to conduct a Test Identification Parade (TIP), a key procedure used to establish whether witnesses can identify a suspect.
“The presence of the accused at the spot could not be established by any of the witnesses,” the court observed.
Witnesses Failed to Identify Accused
The court noted that even a police constable allegedly present during the incident did not identify Sujeet.
Additionally, the injured witness neither named nor identified him nor attributed any specific role to him in the alleged attack.
The judge further observed that there was no allegation that Sujeet fired at the complainant, carried a firearm, or physically obstructed police personnel from carrying out their duties.
No Recovery Linked to Accused
Another factor weighing against the prosecution was the absence of any incriminating recovery from Sujeet.
According to the court, the firearm allegedly used in the incident was recovered from a juvenile co-accused rather than from Sujeet himself.
The court also pointed to the lack of independent public witnesses supporting the prosecution’s version of events.
Benefit of Doubt Given
After reviewing witness testimonies and the evidence on record, the court concluded that the prosecution had failed to meet the legal standard required for a criminal conviction.
The judge observed that the testimonies of the injured witnesses did not inspire confidence regarding Sujeet’s involvement and that the available evidence was insufficient to establish guilt beyond reasonable doubt.
Acquitted of All Charges
Concluding that the prosecution had not successfully proved its case, the court acquitted Sujeet of all charges related to the Badarpur firing incident.
The ruling underscores the principle that criminal convictions must be based on reliable evidence and that any reasonable doubt regarding an accused person’s involvement must be resolved in their favour.
