Delhi Court Acquits 16 Accused in 2012 Jama Masjid Riot & Police Booth Arson Case

The case stemmed from an FIR registered in 2012 at Jama Masjid police station, alleging that the accused were part of an unlawful assembly that pelted stones, torched a police post near Jagat Cinema, and damaged vehicles in the Urdu Bazar area.

Additional Sessions Judge (ASJ) Virender Kumar Kharta, while acquitting all accused on September 24, noted “serious doubts” in the prosecution’s case due to inconsistencies in police testimonies, absence of independent witnesses, and failure to collect CCTV evidence.

“In the present case, due to inconsistencies and contradictions in the testimonies of the prosecution witnesses… non-examination of any independent eyewitness, non-collection of relevant CCTV footage, and the defence taken by the accused persons, serious doubts have been created on the prosecution's story. Two views are possible in this case, and hence the benefit of the same must go to the accused,” the Court observed.

The Court held that the prosecution failed to establish the ingredients of offences under Sections 145, 147, 148, 149, 186, 353, 427, 379, and 436 of the IPC, as well as provisions of the Prevention of Damage to Public Property Act. Charges against one accused, Mohd. Irshad, under Section 174A IPC also failed.

Granting the accused benefit of doubt, the court ordered the acquittal of Imran alias Dagda, Bilal, Mohd. Shamim, Naeemuddin, Tohid Ahmed, Abdul Zahid, Shahid, Ziauddin, Arshad, Abdul Wahid, Mohd. Imran alias Raizwan, Salman alias Rajan, Mohd. Arif, Nadeem, Mohd. Iqrar, and Mohd. Irshad.

According to the prosecution, around 12:30 am on July 22, 2012, a mob of nearly 400 people stormed towards the Jagat Cinema police booth, allegedly raising slogans linked to the Akbarbadi Masjid controversy. They pelted stones, torched the police post, damaged vehicles, and reportedly looted Rs. 7.5 lakh from the car of one Abdul Sattar Khan. Police officials testified that they had to fire tear gas shells to disperse the crowd.

Witnesses claimed that ringleaders, including Imran @ Dagda, were “leading the crowd” and encouraging violence. Several arrests were made within weeks, with police relying heavily on secret informer tips and eyewitness identifications.

The case, instituted in December 2012, saw the prosecution examining 39 witnesses, including police officers, eyewitnesses, and technical staff. The trial was prolonged due to multiple supplementary charge sheets, absconding accused, and repeated adjournments.

The Court specifically highlighted the lack of corroborative evidence, contradictions in witness statements, and failure to link individual accused to specific criminal acts. As a result, all charges, including arson, theft, and rioting, were dismissed.