Manjinder Sirsa acquitted in case of rioting at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj in 2012

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sachin Gupta granted relief to Sirsa, Manjeet Singh GK, Kuldeep Singh Bhogal, Paramjeet Singh Rana and Chaman Singh, accused of rioting and causing hurt to others during a meeting of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC).

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday acquitted Shiromani Akali Dal leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa and four others in a case of rioting at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib in November 2012.

New Delhi: Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) President Sukhbir Singh Badal with party leader Manjinder Singh Sirsa and others, during a press conference on the victory of SAD in DSGMC elections, in New Delhi, Wednesday, Aug 25, 2021. (PTI Photo/Arun Sharma)(PTI08_25_2021_000162A) (PTI)

Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Sachin Gupta granted relief to Sirsa, Manjeet Singh GK, Kuldeep Singh Bhogal, Paramjeet Singh Rana and Chaman Singh, accused of rioting and causing hurt to others during a meeting of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC).

All the accused were charged under section 147 (rioting), 148 (rioting, armed with deadly weapon), 323 (voluntarily causing hurt), 325 (voluntarily causing grievous hurt) and 427 (mischief causing damage to the amount of fifty rupees or upwards), read with section 149 (every member of unlawful assembly guilty of offence committed in prosecution of common object) of IPC.

“It is clear that prosecution has failed to establish the charges against the accused persons, beyond reasonable doubts and accordingly, accused persons are acquitted for the said offences,” the court said.

According to police, on November 15, 2012 at Gurdwara Rakab Ganj Sahib, New Delhi, a meeting of Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee (DSGMC) was convened and all the accused and others used force and violence and deadly weapon like swords for the purpose of rioting.

The accused persons were trying to obtain possession of records of DSGMC and in the event of failing to take possession of records, to burn the records, it said.

Members of the unlawful assembly including the accused caused grievous hurt and injury to one person and caused simple injuries to two others, it said adding that they also damaged the property of the Gurdwara.