N-E Delhi Riots: Bail to murder accused for ‘humungous delay’ in recording eyewitness accounts

New Delhi A Delhi court on Wednesday granted bail to a man accused of murder in one of the cases of the north east Delhi riots stating that there was “a humongous delay of about 83 days” in recording the statement of the eye witnesses in the case

New Delhi

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A Delhi court on Wednesday granted bail to a man accused of murder in one of the cases of the north east Delhi riots stating that there was “a humongous delay of about 83 days” in recording the statement of the eye witnesses in the case.

Additional sessions judge Vinod Yadav said that the police have not given any “cogent explanation for such a huge delay in recording the statement of witnesses”. The judge granted bail to Kuldeep Singh in connection the murder of an auto driver Babbu during the riots that had broken out in the Khajuri Khas area.

The court also said that one of the witnesses, Munna, claimed that he was present when the incident happened on February 25, 2020; however, he never approached the local police station or make any call to the police on 100 on that day.

“…instead he went on to name the applicant (Kuldeep Singh) for the first time during the course of recording of his statement by the investigating officer (IO) on May 18, 2020. Between February 25 and May 18, 2020, Munna never made any complaints whatsoever to the local police/investigating agency,” the court said in its order.

The judge also said that the case of another eyewitness, Imran, is the same — he did not make any complaint to the police on his own till June 20, when his statement was recorded.

The court said that identification of the accused by two beat officers is hardly of any consequence. It questioned the actions of one of the policeman in waiting till May 11, 2020 for the identification of the accused.

“In my opinion, the identification of applicant by aforesaid police officials is hardly of any consequence, as this court is not able to comprehend as to why the beat officers waited till the recording of their statements/ supplementary statements when they had categorically seen and identified the accused indulging in riots…..,” the court said.

“Being police officials, what stopped them from reporting the matter then and there in the police station or to bring the same in the knowledge of higher police officers? This cast a serious doubt on the credibility of aforesaid two police witnesses,” it added.

The court granted bail to Kuldeep Singh on a bail bond of ₹20,000 and asked him to maintain peace and harmony in the locality.

Communal riots had broken out in north east Delhi in February 2020 claiming 53 lives and leaving over 400 injured.