Court Slams Delhi Police For 'Callous And Shaky' Probe In Murder Case, Acquits Three Men

A Delhi Court has acquitted three men in a murder case, while rapping the Delhi Police for conducting the investigation in a casual and callous manner.

Additional Sessions Judge Pawan Kumar of Saket Courts said that investigation had left number of unsolved loose ends and that the “casual and shaky” probe added misery to the “fragile case” of the prosecution.

The judge acquitted Ritick Bhardwaj, Mohit Shukla and Amit accused of murdering a vagabond, Ankit alias “Lambu”, near city's Safdarjung Hospital subway in July, 2023.

They were charged under Section 302 and 34 of IPC for the fatal assault. They were arrested on July 11, 2023, a day after the alleged incident. Ankit succumbed to injuries during the treatment on August 19, 2023.

The Court observed that the conduct of the complainant at the time of alleged incident and thereafter raised serious doubts over his presence at the scene of crime at the relevant point of time.

It added that the IO had not examined the public persons present on the spot, and had not given any notice to the public persons to join the investigation.

“In the photographs, none of the accused is seen. The IO failed to explain the absence of the accused persons in the photograph. It is not the case of the prosecution that the accused persons were not exposed to the photographs so as to conceal their identity, because as per the prosecution version, the accused were apprehended by the complainant himself,” the Court said.

It added that there was no CDR or CAF of the mobile number being used by the PCR caller, and that the prosecution failed to explain the serious lapses on the part of investigation.

Further, the judge said that there were material contradictions and inconsistencies in the testimony of the complainant and other relevant witnesses, including anomalies as to the spot informed in the PCR call and the actual scene of crime.

“The prosecution failed to establish that the accused persons were arrested from the spot. There are questions as to the recovery of the stone from the spot. The casual and shaky investigation adds misery to the already fragile case of the prosecution,” the Court said.

Advocates Soutik Banerjee and Rohit Saroj appeared for accused Ritick.

Advocate Praveen Singh, DCLADC appeared for accused Mohit Shukla.

Advocate Paritosh Kapil, DCLADC appeared for accused Amit @ Jeetu.